Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Capt. James Kelly - Journal of the Whaleboat, 'Elizabeth', 16 December 1815 - 29 January 1816
C 227

Journal Of the whale Boat the Elizabeth Round Vandeimens Land for the purpose of Exploring the West Coast of it in particular under the direction of Mr. James Kelly Master and a Crew consisting of Four Seamen only and fitted out for the express purpose by Thomas William Birch of Hobart Merchant in December 1875.

The dotted trace represented in the Chart is the Whale Boats track.

Saturday 16th December 1875
At 9 am took our departure from Hobart Town Wind N.W. at 2 pm Wind S.S.W. with rain at 3 strong breezes and squally. Beached the boat for the night abrest of [indecipherable] Island.

Sunday 17th
At 7 am launched the boat winds W.N.W. at 4 pm. Strong breezes at W.S.W. with rain. Beached the boat for the night in D’Entrecastaux Bay

Monday 18th
At ½ past 7 am launched the boat and pulling out of the bay caught 3 swans at 10- gentle breezes at E.N.E. running round the south Cape at ½ past 3 pm arrived at Lousy Bay. Beached the boat for the night latter past fresh breezes from the westward with rain.

Tuesday 19th
Throughout the whole of this day fresh breezes and cloudy weather. Not able to get to the westward.

Wednesday 20th
Light breezes at west and clear weather at ½ past 8 am. Launched the boat at noon fresh breezes at W.N.W. into [indecipherable] Bay & beached the boat for the night & which is 10 miles to the eastward of the S.W.Cape.

Thursday Dec. 21st
At 8 am light breezes at W.S.W. Launched the boat at noon light breezes at south getting to th westward at 3pm. Passed the S.W. Cape with a fresh breeze at S.E. at 6 beached the boat on a small island 12 miles to the Northward of S.W. Cape for the night latter past strong breezes at S.E. and clear weather.

Friday 22nd
At 7am light breezes at north and clear weather launched the boat at 10 entered the mouth of a new harbour which I gave the name of Port Davey. Ran up to the head of the harbour which is about 15 miles from the outward heads with a small river at the head of it. Caught 9 swans and went on shore to get shelter for the night light breezes at south and clear weather. The entrance of this harbour is about four miles broad 10 to 20 fathoms water at the entrance of it. I rowed up it about 12 miles soundings gradually diminishing from 20 to 4 fathoms. There is a fresh water river at the head of the harbour the land is mountainous barren and rocky with very little timber growing- this is a good harbour for

ships of any [indecipherable] for about seven miles and perfectly safe from all winds. The harbour lays N.N.E. & S.S.W.- Entrance Lat. 43,28 South Long. of North Head 146 East

Saturday Dec. 23rd
At ½ past 7 am calm and clear weather. Departed from Port Davey caught 1 swan at 9 cleared the bay at noon passed the supposed situation at Port Saint Vincent. I found it to be an Inlet of low land running between the mountains from a large bay. at 2pm fresh breezes at south and hazy weather at 6. Beached the boat for the night in a small cove 12 miles to the southward of Pyramid Point.

Monday 25th
Throughout the whole of this day fresh breezes at W.N.W. and clear weather . Employed making the boats sail larger.

Tuesday Dec. 26th
At 8am light breezes at south launched the boat at noon and made sail to the northward at noon steady breezes at south and clear weather running along shore to the northward at ½ past 4 pm made the mouth of a harbour the entrance about 60 yards wide with 13 fathoms of water and a small island on the north side when I rowed in I found a very extensive harbour to which I gave the name of Macquarie Harbour rowed along the south side to an island about 2 miles in circumference to which I gave the name of Elizabeth Island. I left the island to examine a river running N. to S. in which I found from 7 to 3 fathoms gradually diminishing for 6 miles up and two small rivulets branched from its head to this I gave the name of my employer and call’d it Birches River it abounds with Huon Pine and Pencil Cedar all about it. I then left this river to go to the northwards at the distance of about five miles I found a large fresh water river running E.S.E. and W.N.W. and to which I gave the name of Gordon River. I found 7 fathoms of water at the

entrance. I then rowed up the river for about 14 miles in which I found from 16 to 12 fathoms water all the way I went, the borders of this river and the country for some thousand acres around it abounds with Huon Pine and Pencil wood the total seems to be flooded in the winter season and the rest of the country around appeared barren and mountainous. There were very few natives at this place. Beached the boat abrest of Elizabeth Island Lat. 42,12 South. Long. 145,28 East. This harbour lays N.W. and S.E.

Wednesday 27th
At 8am calm and clear weather. Launched the boat and went up the river to examine it and found all up the river the entire of the land barren. At 6pm beached the boat for the night 2 miles from the head of the river which is about 30 miles from the outer heads. Caught 2 swans.

Thursday 28th
First part light breezes at south and clear weather at ½ 7am launched the boat and went to examine the eastern arm which we find to be the main river. At 2pm returned down the river to go out at 6 went on shore on a point caught 2 swans and 1 badger. Latter part fresh breezes at S.W. and cloudy weather.

Dec. 29th Friday
At 7am started to leave the river at noon left the outer cove and made sail to the northward with a fresh breeze at south. At 5 tried to get a boat harbour in a small bay 20 miles from Gordon River but could not on account of a high surf which run till Sun [indecipherable] and in consequence could get no shelter. At 9pm fresh breezes at south & cloudy weather and a [indecipherable] sea hove to head to the westward for the night.

Saturday 30th
All day light fresh breezes at south and cloudy. Made sail to the northward at 9 strong breezes the boat shipping much water at 10 beached the boat in a small bay 15 miles from Hunter Islands latter part fresh breezes at south and clear.

Sunday 31st
At 8am light breezes at west and clear weather launched the boat and made sail to the northward at 2pm. fresh breezes at W.N.W. Beached the boat for the night on one of the Hunters Islands latter part fresh breezes from the westward with light rain.

Monday Jan. 1
At ½ past 7am light breezes at N.N.W. Launched the boat and stood to the eastward at noon light breezes at N.E. at 3pm fresh breezes beached the boat for the night in a small cove 6 miles to the westward of circular head.

Tuesday 2nd
At 6am fresh breezes at S.W. & cloudy launched the boat and made sail to the eastward at noon strong breezes and squally went on shore at circular head to get a new [indecipherable] at 6pm beached the boat for the night 12 miles to the eastward of Table Cape.

Wednesday 3rd
At ½ past 5am launced the boat with a light breeze at S.S.W. and stood to the eastward at noon fresh breezes at N.W. at 6pm arrived at Port Dalyrmple heads. Beached the boat for the night fresh gales at N.W. and clear weather.

Thursday 4th
Throughout this day fresh gales at W.N.W. and clear weather went up to George town to get a clearance as the pilot would not allow us to go out until we had obtained one.

Friday Jan. 5th
At 7am light breezes at W.S.W. Launched the boat and made sail to the eastward at noon freshning breezes at the W.N.W. and clear weather running to eastward at 4pm beached the boat for the night in a small bay 12 miles to the westward of Waterhouse Island latter part fresh light breezes at south and clear weather.

Saturday 6th
At 6am light breezes at south and cloudy weather launched the boat and stood to the eastward at 11 flood tide made went on shore 3 miles to the westward of Waterhouse Island to cook dinner at 4pm fresh breezes from the N.E. began to pull to the eastward at 6 beached the boat for the night abreast of Waterhouse Island.

Sunday 7th
At ½ past 6am calm and hazy weather Launched the boat and began to pull to the eastward at noon light airs from the westward hot and sultry weather at 6pm beached the boat for the night in [indecipherable] Roe river latter part fresh breezes from the west and cloudy weather

Monday 8th
First and middle parts fresh breezes at S.E. and hazy weather latter parts fresh breezes and variable all round the compass with heavy thunder lightning and rain.

Tuesday 9th
At 7am calm and cloudy weather launched the boat and began to pull to the southeast at 8 fresh breezes at south with rain beached the boat on King Georges Island Killed 5 seal. Latter parts fresh breezes and variable all round the compass with rain.

Wednesday 10th
First and middle parts moderate breezes at south east and clear weather. Killed 32 seal. Employed peging out the skins. went over to the main for wood and water latter parts fresh breezes at east with rain.

Thursday 11th
Throughout the entire of this day light breezes from the eastward with a heavy swell. Killed 15 seal and peged out the skins.

Friday 12th
Throughout the entire of this day fresh breezes at S.S.E. and foggy weather not able to leave the island. Killed 4 seal peged out the skins to dry.

Saturday 13th
First and middle parts light breezes at S.S.E. with a thick fog. Killed 11 seal latter parts fresh gales at S.S.E. and cloudy. Peged the skins out to dry not able to leave the island.

Sunday Jan.14th
Thoughout these 24 hours strong brezes at south east and thick foggy weather with rain. Killed 3 seal not able to leave the island.

Monday 15th
First and middle parts light breezes at N.E. and very thick foggy weather not able to leave the island on account of it. Latter parts light breezes at N.W. and hazy weather

Tuesday 16th
At ½ past 7am light breezes at N.W. and cloudy weather launched the boat and began to pull to the southward at 8 wind choped to the southward obliged to turn back and beached the boat abreast of King George Island middle and latter parts strong gales at south and cloudy weather.

Wednesday 17th
First and middle parts strong gales at S.S.W. and cloudy weather. latter parts more moderate and hazy weather.

Thursday 18th
Throughout these 24 hours fresh breezes and variable from S.E. to east with thick weather and rain not able to launch the boat.

Friday 19th
First part fresh breezes at S.E. with rain middle and latter parts fresh breezes at E.N.E. with hazy weather at 11 am launched the boat and sail to the southward at 6pm. winds at N.E. beached the boat on a small island 6 miles to the northward of Saint Patricks Head for the night.

Saturday 20th
First parts light breezes at north and clear weather middle parts strong gales at south with squalls of rain latter parts more moderate and clear weather not able to launch the boat.

Sunday 21st
At 8am light breezes at N.W. and clear weather launched the boat and made sail to the southward at 9 winds N.E. Running along shore to the southward at 6pm beached the boat for the night in a small bay 18 miles to the northward of Schoutens Island in landing got all the things wet but done no damage to the boat.

Monday 22nd
At 6am calm and cloudy weather. Launched the boat and began to pull to the southward at 10 light airs at S.E. lost the dog leaving the beach. at 1pm beached the boat on Schouten Island spread the skins out to dry. latter parts fresh breezes from the eastward and cloudy weather.

Tuesday Jan. 23rd
At 8am light breezes east and clear weather launched the boat and began to pull to the southward at noon landed on the white rock. Killed 2 seal and left the rock at 2pm. fresh breezes at N.E. and clear weather at sun set arrived at East Bay neck hauled the boat part of the way over East Bay Neck for the night.

Wednesday 24th
At day light launched the boat over the Neck and began to pull out of East bay at 3pm freshning breezes at S.E. arrived at Hobart Town and landed the things the voyage being completed.

James Kelly
Hobart Town this 29th January 1870