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Ch. 8: Northwest Australian Fisheries

Ch. 8: Northwest Australian Fisheries Page of 341 Ch. 8: Northwest Australian Fisheries Text size:minus plus Restore normal size   Mail page  Print this page
146                                 Pearls.
which, until lately, consisted of about twenty wooden buildings on the bank of a creek ; but the recent discovery of the Kimberley gold fields has led to its rapid development. Cossack, otherwise known as Tien Sin, and Port Walcot, is situated in 210 41' S. lat., and 1170 08' E. long. It is the port for Roebourne, eight miles inland, and the capital of the North-west, .with which it is now connected by a tram line.
The immediate surroundings of both Cossack and Roebourne were, until this year, most dismal. With the exception of a few scanty, hurricane-torn mangroves in the creek, neither tree nor blade of grass is to been seen. There are, however, a number of thriving sheep stations not many miles distant.
The coast is regularly visited by severe hur­ricanes — revolving storms, known elsewhere as cyclones or typhoons. In March, 1882, both Cossack and Roebourne were literally levelled to the ground in the course of a few hours. The hurricane months are from December to March inclusive, and every year several Pearling craft are damaged, if not totally lost. The rise and fall of tide varies on this coast from 18 to 40 feet.
Cossack Creek, which is almost dry at low
Ch. 8: Northwest Australian Fisheries Page of 341 Ch. 8: Northwest Australian Fisheries
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