16/06/2026
Very flowery prose !
đź—ž"SEA-MOUTH OF THE MURRAY.
—The South Australian, like Mr. Solomon in the play, has its
"correspondents in all parts of the world."
The following is from Melbourne, and is published, we suppose, because it repeats the old story of Capt. Gill having taken his boat out to sea at the mouth of the Murray River. He says nothing about where the mail of the Fairy was taken to.
Captain Gill's assurance that there is no danger in passing from the Murray to Encounter Bay, can only he taken by those who know the spot as proof that the worthy skipper's assurance has not decreased since his first visit to South Australia.
Unfortunately for all purposes of navigation, the impracticability of the sea-enrtrance to the Murray has long been positively ascertained. Between the Goolwa, at the lower end of the Lake, and the anchorage at Encounter Bay, nine miles distant, there is an easy road, which, should the traffic become sufficiently great, may be easiiy made available :—
I was much astonished at following along the coast of that, extensive piece of water. which is parallel with the coast tor about forty miles (separated from it by the belt of sand hammocks) called the Coorong. which enters Lake Alexandrina, into which lake the Murray—the finest river hitherto discovered in Australia —disembogues itself. This was a very striking object of consideration to me ; and I felt assured that it,was enterprise alone that was wanting to make this fine river accessible; Fortunately, the other day, I met with Captain Gill, who came here in the Scotia brig-, from Hobart Town. This gentleman was wrecked, I think in 1838, in the schooner F***y, on the coast directly opposite the Coorong.
He drew his jolly-boat over the sand hummocks—near the commencement of the Coorong - and navigated the who'e length of it, taking soundings as he went, and passed through Lake Alexandiiua over the bar, through the entrance into Encounter Bay. Captain Gill assured me that there is two fathoms water, at low water Leap tides. on the bar, and that vessels drawirg tweive feet water can enter Lake Alexandrina a considerable distance, where they could take in a cargo of wool, &c . which I hope soon to learn can be conveyed down the Murray by proper-constructed vessels for that purpose, and that this main artery may be made available as it ought to be.
I mentioned to Captain Gill that the opinion was current that the navigation over the bar at the entrance into Lake Alexandria was very dangerous, and that Judge Jeffcott and some others were drowned in crossing the bar, in consequence of the dangerous surf, some years since. He assured me that the accident happened from the boat being overladen with whaler bone, and from her being brought broadside, to the swell she upset.
Captain Gill is a mariner well known in this part of the world : at one time he was master of the schooner Sir John Franklin, trading here : afterwards Harbour Master of Auckland. New Zealand. four years since, when I was there. He assures me that there is no danger in passing over the above bar, or navigating the channel. "đź—ž
South Australian Gazette and Colonial Register (Adelaide, SA : 1845 - 1847), Saturday 13 June 1846, page 2
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/195933859 #
More on Sir John Jeffcott and Captain Blenkinsopp drowning in the mouth here -
https://adelaideaz.com/articles/south-australian-company-and-captain-john-blenkinsopp-stage-dangerous-whaling-rivalry-in-encounter-bay-in-1837
đź“·"Two men, one looking through a telescope, are standing under a flagstaff which is situated on a sand dune at the water's edge. They are looking out at two paddle steamers which are entering the sea mouth of the Murray River. Pelicans and other seabirds can be seen, and what appears to be a partly submerged rib cage of a whale. [On front of photograph] 'The sea mouth of the Murray' (Another hand) 'Probably in the eighteen fifties'. Sea mouth of the Murray." SLSA
