Description
George French Angas’s view of Penguin Island, Beach Port, is from the largest and earliest series of lithographs of the infant colony of South Australia.
Angas had travelled with Governor Grey in 1844 to the south-east where previously only overlanders with their herds passed through. Grey and his party travelled along the Coorong and reached Cape Bernouilli (now Cape Jaffa) on 28 April. A number of lakes were discovered and at Rivoli Bay a camp was established while several men were left to make a chart of the Bay. Grey proceeded inland to Mount Schank and Mount Gambier. Governor Grey was pleased with the results of his expedition, with good land discovered between the rivers Murray and Glenelg.
Angas’s description: Penguin Island, so named from the vast quantity of those birds which inhabit it, and breed amongst its rugged and sea-worn shore. The entire island is perforated with thin burrows, and out of the holes we took their eggs, which resembled those of a common fowl, and were good eating. The species of penguin found here is the Aptenodytes minor; it is about the size of a duck, and has scaly feathers of a bluish colour upon the back, with a white breast. ….The seaward extremity of this rocky island is so perforated and fretted away by the action of the elements, as to present a very curious appearance. The circumference of Penguin Island does not exceed three quarters of a mile’. Both these sketches were completed during April/May 1844.
From George French Angas’s, South Australia Illustrated.
