H.M.S. "DART" AND THE MACROSSAN RANGE 699 



NISBET RIVER, which takes the drainage of part of the Mcllwraith 

 Range on its right bank, and enters the Pacific at Campbell Point. 

 The southern portion, about 4 miles long, is drained by a creek, 

 still unnamed, which falls into the Pacific opposite Hay Island. 



The MACROSSAN RANGE is breached by HAYS CREEK and the 

 NISBET RIVER, l but in spite of this accident it is a geographical 

 entity distinct from the portion of the " great divide " to which 

 the name of the Mcllwraith Range had been given, and it sends 

 the whole of its waters to the Pacific. (SEE MAP C AND ADMIRALTY 

 CHART, No. 2,921.) 



In 1896, MR. J. T. EMBLEY, Licensed Surveyor, was at work in 

 this district on behalf of the Department of Lands. After coming 

 down the Stewart River to its mouth (14 4' S.), he travelled along 

 the beach northward to Cape Sidmouth (13 25' S.), making, on 

 his way, surveys of the lower portion of the ROCKY RIVER (13 46' S.), 

 the whole of the CHESTER RIVER (13 42' S.) and the NISBET RIVER 

 from its mouth (13 33' S.) up to where it begins to cut through 

 the western wall of the Macrossan Range. The portion of the 

 range south of the Nisbet River appears for the first time on the 

 1899 issue (corrected to October, 1900) of the Admiralty Chart, 

 Sheet 2921, as the EMBLEY RANGE. Mr. Embley assures me that 

 he is not responsible for the name, which therefore may be assumed 

 to have been conferred in compliment to him by the Admiralty 

 surveyors. Three of its peaks are named ROUND MOUNT (1,052 feet), 

 COLLINS HILL (396 feet) and HOBBS HILL (684 feet). 



In 1896-8, this portion of the Pacific coast was surveyed by 

 H.M.S. "Dart" (an "auxiliary" cruiser), and the result was a 

 new issue of Sheet 2921 of the chart. 3 



There can be no reason to doubt that the officers of the " Dart " 

 made, in 1896-8, a careful survey of the eastern part of the 

 Macrossan Range, locating and ascertaining the altitudes (up to 

 1, 660 feet) of no fewer than seventy points on or near its crest. 



Practically two methods of establishing a base-line for triangula- 

 tion are open to marine surveyors. The first, which is " rough and 

 ready," but in many cases is the best that circumstances permit, is 

 to take two assumed or ascertained positions of their ship as the 

 terminals of the line. The second is to go ashore and act as land 



1 Both named by me ; incorrectly spelt Hayes and Nesbit on chart. 



" 2921. Australia, East Coast. Claremont Point [14 21' S. R. L. J.] to C> 

 Direction [12 51' S. R. L. J.]. 



" North of Morris Island [13 5' S. R. L. J.] Surveyed by Lieutenant-Commander 

 W. S. V. Howard, assisted by Lieutenants J. F. Parry, R. W. Glennie, F. May and Mr. 

 W. Hazelgrove, Boatswain, H.M. Surveying Ship ' Dart,' 1896-7. 



" South of Morris Island, Surveyed by Lieutenant-Commander J. F. Parry, assisted 

 by Lieutenant H. W. H. Helby, F. May, C. E. Stainer and Mr. W. Hazelgrove, Boatswain, 

 H.M. Surveying Ship ' Dart,' 1898. 



" The Barrier Reefs by Captain F. Blackwood and the Officers of H.M. Surveying 

 Ship ' Fly,' 1843-5." 



London. Published at the Admiralty, i8th March, 1899, under the Superintendence 

 of Rear-Admiral Sir W. J. Wharton, K.C.B., F.R.S., Hydrographer. Large Correc- 

 tions, March, 1900 ; October, 1900. 



