Biddulph, John Burnet

Bathurst 28\th./ Oct.\r/ 1820 /
D\r./ Sir/ /
Should you not have seen any sketch of the mouth /
of the Kowie, I presume the enclosed will not be uninteresting, more _ /
especially as the Succes+s of the new Settlement so much depends upon the /
navigation of this River /
I feel particularly interested in this busines+s myself as my Father /
having opened a General Store, it would prove a material benefit _ /
not only to ourselves, but the the Settlers in general to have our Goods brought /
up the Kowie, under this impres+sion 7+ from the promise of M\r/ Routen /
to give me any as+sistance in his power. I was induced to pay /
particular attention to this busines+s 7+ to make several visits to the mouth of /
the River for the purpose of making observations relative to the Tides, surf-depth/
of water 7+ 7+ And I am happy to say that with the as+sistance of a /
Person of the name of „Weeks” (who was formerly a Pilot at Ramsgate 7+ who appears /
to be to be a Sober, Steady 7+ fearful Man 7+ I think is worthy of every encouragement ) /
I have been enabled to take pretty caveet soundings (as marked in the sketch) /
These soundings were taken at low water, but the Tides rise from seven to /
ten feet, so that at high water, the depth of Water on the Bar my be /
calculated at the least Ten of twelve feet, which is sufficient to admit _ /
coasting Ves+sels of from Eighty to one hundred 7+ Seventy Tons with great Safety. /
but even these ves+sels would find great difficulty in getting up to a _ /
sufficient depth of Water to Float _ at low water unles+s there was /
a Bank thrown up along the large Sand Flat in the direction _ /
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marked from A to B and the other chanels stoped up so as to confine the /
Course of the River to one Chanel only, this would not only preserve a /
good clear chanel, but I think would tend very much to open 7+ deepen the /
Entrance of the River /
I had paid several visits to the mouth of the River previous to making /
my Report to Capt\n./ Trappes on the 29\th./ Sept\r/ in consequence of which /
he gave me an order for a Waggon 7+ any other As+sistance I might require /
for the conveyance of the Boat drifted on Shore at the Mouth of the Karega /
to the Kowie. On the 13\th/ Oct\r/ I accompanied Capt\n/ Trappes down /
to the River; A M\r/ Smith, Weeks 7+ Myself went in the Boat and partially /
sounded the edge of the Bar, but did not then venture out _ /
On the 20\th./ at 9 oclock in the morning it then being low Water, /
myself, Weeks, 7+ two Men in the boat ventured over the Bar 7+ out to the Sea /
about 2 miles and found the Soundings as laid down in the Sketch, between /
the two Reefs of Rocks which I judge to be about 3 Miles from one Reef to the /
other and I think offerd a good Protection to the mouth of the River _ On /
going out I observed that there was little or no surf on the Bar But /
that the Surf both rises and breaks in deeper Water ouside the Bar /
I am decidedly of opinion that if mooving Boys wer put down in /
propper situation and other neces+sary preparations _ made in the _ /
inside of the River that Ves+sels of the before mentioned description might /
immediately commence a Brisk Trade /
Should this Plan meet with your approbation and you think it
worth the notice of Goverment I shall be obliged by your presenting /
*
John Burnet Biddulph /