sea, should differ ten miles from the truth; but I judge that Mr. Bass'
quadrant must have received some injury during the night of the 31st, for
a similar error appears to pervade all the future observations, even
those taken under favourable circumstances.]

The high land extended from the bearing of S. W. by S. to W. N. W., and
was distant in the latter direction two or three leagues. North of it
there was a deep bight; and further eastward, two or three places in the
Long Beach which had the appearance of inlets. To the south there were
several rocky islets; and great numbers of petrels, and other sea-birds,
were flying about the boat.

From the latitude of the high land, Mr. Bass considered it to be that
seen by captain Furneaux (or supposed to have been seen), in 39°; and
consequently, that he had traced the unknown space between Point Hicks
and _Furneaux's Land_. His course was now steered to pass round this
land; but on coming abreast of the rocky islets, a hummock appeared above
the horizon in the S. E. by S., and presently, a larger one at S. ½ W.;
and being unable to fetch the first, he steered for the latter, which
proved to be an island; and at six in the evening, he anchored under its
lee. Vast numbers of gulls and other birds were roosting upon it, and on
the rocks were many seals; but the surf would not admit of landing. This
island was judged to be thirty miles, S. by W., from the situation at
noon.

Jan. 2. The wind was strong at E. N. E.; and Mr. Bass being apprehensive
that the boat could not fetch the high main land, determined to steer
southward for the islands, in the hope of procuring some rice from the
wreck of the ship Sydney Cove, to eke out his provisions. The wind,
however, became unfavourable to him, veering to E. S. E; so that with the
sea which drove the boat to leeward, the course to noon was scarcely so
good as S. S. W. The latitude observed was then 39° 51'; and no land
being in sight, the prospect of reaching Furneaux's Islands became very
faint. At four o'clock an accident caused it to be totally given up:
water was observed to rush in fast through the boat's side, and made it
absolutely necessary to go upon the other tack. The latitude to which Mr.
Bass supposed himself arrived, was something to the south of 40°; and the
weather was clear enough for land of moderate height to have been seen
five leagues further, had there been any within that distance.

The boat was then kept north-eastward, towards Furneaux's Land. At nine
in the evening, the wind blew hard at S. E. by E., accompanied by a
hollow, irregular sea, which put our enterprising discoverer and his
boat's crew into the greatest danger; but the good qualities of his
little bark, with careful steerage, carried him through this perilous
night. On the 3rd, at six o'clock the land was seen; and in the
afternoon, whilst standing in to look for a place of shelter, a smoke and
several people were observed upon a small island not far from the main
coast. On rowing up, they proved to be, not natives, to Mr. Bass' great
surprise, but Europeans. They were convicts who, with others, had run
away with a boat from Port Jackson, in the intention of plundering the
wreck of the Sydney Cove; and not being able to find it, their
companions, thinking their number too great, had treacherously left them
upon this island, whilst asleep. These people were seven in number; and
during the five weeks they had been on this desert spot, had subsisted on
petrels, to which a seal was occasionally added. Mr. Bass promised to
call at the island, on his return; and in the mean time, proceeded to the
west side of the high main land, where he anchored, but could not get on
shore.

Jan. 4. The wind being at north-east, he continued his course onward,
steering W. N. W. round an open bay; and afterwards N. W. by W., as the
coast generally trended. The shore consisted of long, shallow bights, in
which the land was low and sandy; but the intermediate rocky points were
generally steep, with a ridge of hills extending from them, into the
interior, as far as could be distinguished. In the evening an inlet was
discovered, with many shoals at the entrance; and the deep channel being
not found till a strong tide made it unattainable, Mr. Bass waited for
high water; he then entered a spacious harbour which, from its relative
position to the hitherto known parts of the coast, was named WESTERN
PORT. It lies, according to the boat's run, about sixty miles N. W. by W.
½ W. from Furneauxs Land; and its latitude is somewhere about 38° 25'
south.* The time of high water is near _half an hour_ after the moon's
passage over the meridian, and the rise of tide from ten to fourteen
feet.

[* The true latitude of the east entrance into Western Port, is about 38°
33' south.]

The examination of this new and important discovery, the repairs of the
boat, and the continuance of strong winds, kept Mr. Bass thirteen days in
Western Port. His sketch of it has since been superseded by the more
regular examination of ensign Barralier, copied into the chart, where its
form, situation, and extent will be best seen. The land upon its borders
is, generally, low and level; but the hills rise as they recede into the
country, and afford an agreeable prospect from the port. Wherever Mr.
Bass landed, he found the soil to be a light, brown mould, which becomes
peaty in the lowest grounds. Grass and ferns grow luxuriantly, and yet
the country is but thinly timbered. Patches of brush wood are frequent,
particularly on the eastern shore, where they are some miles in extent;
and there the soil is a rich, vegetable mould. The island (since called
_Phillip Island_) which shelters the port, is mostly barren, but is
covered with shrubs and some diminutive trees.

Mr. Bass had great difficulty in procuring good water, arising, as he
judged, from unusual dryness in the season; and the head of the winding
creek on the east side of the port, was the sole place where it had not a
brackish taste. The mud banks at the entrance of the creek may be passed
at half tide by the largest boats; and within it, there is at all times a
sufficient depth of water.

No more than four natives were seen, and their shyness prevented
communication; the borders of the port, however, bore marks of having
been much frequented, but the want of water seemed to have occasioned a
migration to the higher lands. Kangaroos did not appear to be numerous;
but black swans went by hundreds in a flight, and ducks, a small, but
excellent kind, by thousands; and the usual wild fowl were in abundance.

The seventh week of absence from Port Jackson had expired, by the time
Mr. Bass was ready to sail from Western Port; and the reduced state of
his provisions forced him, very reluctantly, to turn the boat's head
homeward.

Jan. 18. At daylight, he sailed with a fresh wind at west, which
increased to a gale in the afternoon, with a heavy swell from the
south-west; and he sought shelter behind a cape since named _Cape
Liptrap_. Next morning, he ran over to the islands on the west side of
Furneaux's Land; but was obliged to return to his former place of
shelter, where a succession of gales kept him until the 26th. A quantity
of petrels had been taken on the islands, and this week of detention was
mostly employed in salting them for the homeward bound voyage.

At length, Mr. Bass was able to execute the project he had formed for the
seven convicts. It was impossible to take them all into the boat;
therefore to five, whom he set upon the main land, he gave a musket, half
his ammunition, some hooks and lines, a light cooking kettle, and
directions how to proceed in their course toward Port Jackson. The
remaining two, one of whom was old and the other diseased, he took into
the boat with the consent of the crew, who readily agreed to divide the
daily bannock into nine with them. He then bore away, with a fresh wind
at west, round Furneaux's Land.*

[* I have continued to make use of the term Furneaux's Land conformably
to Mr. Bass' journal; but the position of this land is so different from
that supposed to have been seen by captain Furneaux, that it cannot be
the same, as Mr. Bass was afterwards convinced. At our recommendation
governor Hunter called it WILSON'S PROMONTORY, in compliment to my friend
Thomas Wilson, Esq. of London.]

From Jan.26 to Feb. 1, Mr. Bass was detained by eastern gales from
proceeding on his return. The boat lay in _Sealers Cove_, whilst he
occupied the time in examining Wilson's Promontory. The height of this
vast cape, though not such as would be considered extraordinary by
seamen, is yet strikingly so from being contrasted with the low, sandy
land behind it; and the firmness and durability of its structure make it
worthy of being, what there was reason to believe it, the boundary point
of a large strait, and a corner stone to the new continent. It is a lofty
mass of hard granite, of about twenty miles long, by from six to fourteen
in breadth. The soil upon it is shallow and barren; though the brush
wood, dwarf gum trees, and some smaller vegetation, which mostly cover
the rocks, give it a deceitful appearance to the eye of a distant
observer.

Looking from the top of the promontory to the northward, there is seen a
single ridge of mountains, which comes down, out of the interior country,
in a southern direction for the promontory; but sloping off gradually to
a termination, it leaves a space of twelve or sixteen miles of low, sandy
land between them. This low land is nearly intersected by a considerable
lagoon on the west, and a large shoal bay, named _Corner Inlet_, on the
east side; and it seemed probable, that this insulated mass of granite
has been entirely surrounded by the sea at no very distant period of
time.

There were no inhabitants on Wilson's Promontory; but, upon the sandy
neck, some were seen near the borders of the inlets. The few birds were
thought to have a sweeter note than those of Port Jackson.

Four small, barren islands lie seven or eight miles to the northeast,
from Sealers Cove. The northernmost of them was visited, and found to be
about one mile and a half in circuit, ascending gradually from the shore,
to a hill of moderate elevation in the centre. There was neither tree nor
shrub upon it; but the surface was mostly covered with tufts of coarse
grass, amongst which the seals had every where made paths and the petrels
their burrows. Mr. Bass was of opinion, that upon these islands, and
those lying scattered round the promontory, which are all more or less
frequented by seals, a commercial speculation on a small scale might be
made with advantage. The place of shelter for the vessel would be Sealers
Cove, on the main land; which, though small, and apparently exposed to
east winds, would be found convenient and tolerably secure: fresh water
is there abundant, and a sufficiency of wood at hand to boil down any
quantity of blubber likely to be procured.

The observed latitude of the cove was 38° 50';* and the rise of tide
found to be ten or eleven feet, _ten hours and a quarter after_ the moon
passed over the meridian. The flood, after sweeping south-westward along
the great eastern beach, strikes off for the Seal Islands and the
promontory, and then runs westward, past it, at the rate of two or three
miles an hour: the ebb tide sets to the eastward. "Whenever it shall be
decided," says Mr. Bass in his journal, "that the opening between this
and Van Diemen's Land is a strait, this rapidity of tide, and the long
south-west swell that seems to be continually rolling in upon the coast
to the westward, will then be accounted for."

[* This appears to be from 10' to 15' too little: an error which probably
arose from the same cause as others before noticed.]

Feb. 2., Mr. Bass sailed to Corner Inlet; and next day fell in with the
five convicts, whom he put across to the long beach.* but was himself
unable to proceed until the 9th, in consequence of foul winds. Corner
Inlet is little else than a large flat, the greater part of it being dry
at low water. There is a long shoal on the outside of the entrance, which
is to be avoided by keeping close to the shore of the promontory; but
when the tide is out the depth, except in holes, no where exceeds 2½
fathoms. A vessel drawing twelve or thirteen feet may lie safely under
the high land, from which there are some large runs of most excellent
water. The tide rises a foot less here than in Sealers Cove, and flows an
hour later; arising, probably, from the flood leaving it in an eddy, by
setting past, and not into the inlet.

[* Nothing more had been beard of these five men., so late as 1803.]

Feb. 9, Corner Inlet was quitted with a strong south-west wind, and Mr.
Bass steered E. by N. along the shore. At the distance of five miles, he
passed the mouth of a shallow opening in the low sandy beach, from which
a half-moon shoal stretches three miles to the south-eastward. Four or
five miles further, a lesser opening of the same kind was passed; and by
noon, when the latitude was 38° 34' (probably 38° 46'), he had arrived at
the point of the long beach, which in going out, had been quitted to
steer for the promontory. His general course from thence was N. E. by E.
along the shore, until nine o'clock, when judging the coast must begin to
trend more eastwardly, he again steered E. b. N.; the wind blowing a
fresh gale at W. S. W., with a following sea. At daylight, Feb. 10, the
beach was distant two miles, and trending parallel to the boat's course.

The western gale died away in the morning, and was succeeded by one from
the eastward. The boat was in no condition to struggle against a foul
wind; and Mr. Bass, being unwilling to return to Corner Inlet, ventured
through a heavy surf and took refuge upon the beach; having first
observed the latitude to be 37° 47' south.

The country at the back of the beach consisted of dried-up swamps and
barren sand hills. Some natives came down with very little hesitation,
and conducted themselves amicably: they appeared never to have seen or
heard of white people before.

(Atlas, Plate VIII.)

Feb. 11. the foul wind had ceased to blow, and the clouds threatened
another gale from the south-west. So soon as there was sufficient
daylight, the boat was launched, and at four the same afternoon anchored
under the Rain Head. Mr. Bass was kept there till the 14th in the
evening; when a strong breeze sprung up suddenly at south-west, and he
sailed immediately, passing Cape Howe at ten o'clock. By noon of the
15th, he had reached Two-fold Bay, where the latitude was observed to be
36° 53' south;* and having ascertained that _Snug Cove_, on its
north-west side, afforded shelter for shipping, he steered northward, and
passed Mount Dromedary soon after midnight. At noon, Feb. 16, Mr. Bass
landed upon a small island lying under the shore to the south-east of the
Pigeon House, to examine a pole which he had before observed, and
supposed might have been set up as a signal by shipwrecked people; but it
proved to be nothing more than the dead stump of a tree, much taller and
more straight than the others. He sailed next morning; but the wind hung
so much in the north and east quarters that he was forced successively
into Jervis Bay, Shoals Haven, and Port Hacking; and it was not until the
24th at night, that our adventurous discoverer terminated his dangerous
and fatiguing voyage, by entering within the heads of Port Jackson.

[* The true latitude of the mouth of Two-fold Bay is 37° 5', showing an
error of 12' to the north, nearly similar to what has been specified in
the observations near Wilson's Promontory.]

It should be remembered, that Mr. Bass sailed with only six weeks
provisions; but with the assistance of occasional supplies of petrels,
fish, seal's flesh, and a few geese and black swans, and by abstinence,
he had been enabled to prolong his voyage beyond _eleven_ weeks. His
ardour and perseverance were crowned, in despite of the foul winds which
so much opposed him, with a degree of success not to have been
anticipated from such feeble means. In three hundred miles of coast, from
Port Jackson to the Ram Head, he added a number of particulars which had
escaped captain Cook; and will always escape any navigator in a first
discovery, unless he have the time and means of joining a close
examination by boats, to what may be seen from the ship.

Our previous knowledge of the coast scarcely extended beyond the Ram
Head; and there began the harvest in which Mr. Bass was ambitious to
place the first reaping hook. The new coast was traced three hundred
miles; and instead of trending southward to join itself to Van Diemen's
Land, as captain Furneaux had supposed, he found it, beyond a certain
point, to take a direction nearly opposite, and to assume the appearance
of being exposed to the buffetings of an open sea. Mr. Bass, himself,
entertained no doubt of the existence of a wide strait, separating Van
Diemen's Land from New South Wales; and he yielded with the greatest
reluctance to the necessity of returning, before it was so fully
ascertained as to admit of no doubt in the minds of others. But he had
the satisfaction of placing at the end of his new coast, an extensive and
useful harbour, surrounded with a country superior to any other known in
the southern parts of New South Wales.

A voyage _expressly_ undertaken for discovery in an open boat, and in
which six hundred miles of coast, mostly in a boisterous climate, was
explored, has not, perhaps, its equal in the annals of maritime history.
The public will award to its high spirited and able conductor, alas! now
no more, an honourable place in the list of those whose ardour stands
most conspicuous for the promotion of useful knowledge.

FLINDERS. 1798.

During the time that Mr. Bass was absent on his expedition in the whale
boat, the _Francis_ schooner was again sent with captain Hamilton to the
wreck of his ship the Sydney Cove; to bring up what remained of the cargo
at Preservation Island, and the few people who were left in charge. On
this occasion I was happy enough to obtain governor Hunter's permission
to embark in the schooner; in order to make such observations serviceable
to geography and navigation, as circumstances might afford; and Mr. Reed,
the master, was directed to forward these views as far as was consistent
with the main objects of his voyage.

(Atlas. Plate VIII.)

Feb. 1, we sailed out of Port Jackson with a fair wind; and on the
following noon, the observed latitude was 35° 42', being 14' south of
account. I prevailed on Mr. Reed to stand in for the land, which was then
visible through the haze; and at sunset, we reached into Bateman Bay.*
When the two rocky islets in the middle of the bay bore S. by W. ¼ W., a
short mile, we had 8 fathoms water, and 6 fathoms a mile further in. The
north head is steep with a rock lying off it; but Bateman Bay falls back
too little from the line of the coast to afford shelter against winds
from the eastward. The margin of the bay is mostly a beach, behind which
lie sandy, rocky hills of moderate elevation.

[* The bearings in the following account are corrected, as usual, for the
variation; but I am sorry to say that the steering compasses of the
schooner proved to be bad, and there was no azimuth compass on board.]

In the morning of the 3rd, we steered S. by W. along the shore; and saw,
in latitude about 35* 58', and eight or nine miles from the south point
of Bateman Bay, a small opening like a river running south-westward. It
was here that Mr. Bass found a lagoon, with extensive salt swamps behind
it, and observed the latitude 36° 00'. At noon, the east point of the
opening bore N. ¼ W. seven miles, and the top of Mount Dromedary was
visible above the haze; but no observation could be taken for the
latitude.

Soon after noon, land was in sight to the S. S. E., supposed to be the
Point Dromedary of captain Cook's chart; but, to my surprise, it proved
to be an island not laid down, though lying near two leagues from the
coast. The whole length of this island is about one mile and a quarter,
north and south; the two ends are a little elevated, and produce small
trees; but the sea appeared to break occasionally over the middle part.
It is probably frequented by seals, since many were seen in the water
whilst passing at the distance of two miles. This little island, I was
afterwards informed, had been seen in the ship Surprise, and honoured
with the name of _Montague_.

When captain Cook passed this part of the coast his distance from it was
five leagues, and too great for its form to be accurately distinguished.
There is little doubt that Montague Island was then seen, and mistaken
for a point running out from under Mount Dromedary; for its distance from
the mount, and bearing of about N. 75° E., will place it in 36° 17', or
within one minute of the latitude assigned to the point in captain Cook's
chart.

(Atlas Pl. VI.)

At six in the evening, Mount Dromedary was set at N. 40° W. five leagues.
We steered S. S. W. until two in the morning, when the land was so near
as made it necessary to alter the course; and at daybreak of the 4th, the
shore was not more than three miles distant; it was moderately high and
rocky, and at the back were many hummocky hills. Having been much upon
deck in the night, I then retired to rest; and in the mean time, the
schooner passed Mr. Bass's _Two-fold Bay_ without its being noticed. At
nine we came abreast of a smooth, sloping point which, from its
appearance, and being unnoticed in captain Cook's chart, I named GREEN
CAPE. The shore, for about seven miles to the northward, lies N. 16° W.,
and is rocky and nearly straight, and well covered with wood: the Cape
itself is grassy. On the south side, the coast trends west, three or four
miles, into a sandy bight, and then southward to Cape Howe.

The latitude at noon was 37° 25', giving a current of twenty miles to the
south, in two days; Green Cape bore N. by E. four leagues, and Cape Howe
S. by W. five or six miles. Captain Cook lays down the last in 37° 26',
in his chart; but the above observation places it in 37° 30½', which I
afterwards found to agree with an observation of Mr. Bass, taken on the
west side of the cape. The shore abreast of the schooner was between one
and two miles distant; it was mostly beach, lying at the feet of sandy
hillocks which extend from behind Green Cape to the pitch of Cape Howe.
There were several fires upon the shore; and near one of them, upon an
eminence, stood seven natives, silently contemplating the schooner as she
passed.

On coming abreast of Cape Howe, the wind chopped round to the south-west,
and the dark clouds which settled over the land concealed it from our
view; we observed, however, that it trended to the west, but sought in
vain for the small island mentioned by captain Cook as lying close off
the Cape.*

[* Hawkesworth, Vol. III. p. 80. Mr. Bass sailed close round the cape in
his whale boat, but did not ace any island lying there.]

Our latitude was 38° 30' next day, or 38' south of account, although the
wind had been. and was still from that direction. Mr. Reed then steered
W. by N., to get in again with the coast; and on the following noon, we
were in 38° 16' and, by account, 22' of longitude to the west of Point
Hicks. The schooner was kept more northward in the afternoon; at four
o'clock a moderately high, sloping hill was visible in the N. by W., and
at seven a small rocky point on the beach bore N. 50° W. three or four
leagues. The shore extended E. N. E. and W. S. W., and was low and sandy
in front; but at some miles distance inland, there was a range of hills
with wood upon them, though scarcely sufficient to hide their sandy
surface.

At five in the morning of the 7th, the rocky point bore N. E. ½ N. six or
seven miles, and the furthest visible part of the beach W. ½ S. The
southern wind had died away in the night; and a breeze springing up at N.
E. by E., we steered before it along the same low, sandy shore as seen in
the evening. The hills which arose at three or four leagues behind the
beach, appeared to retire further back as we advanced westward; they
would, however, be visible to a ship in fine weather, long before the
front land could be seen.

The observed latitude at noon was 38° 17' south, and by two sets of
distances of the sun east of the moon, reduced up from the morning, the
longitude was 147° 37' east.* The beach was six or seven miles distant,
but after obtaining the noon's observation, we closed more in; and at two
or three miles off, found a sandy bottom with 11 fathoms fathoms of line.
Our course along the shore from two to four o'clock, was S. W. ¾ S., with
a current in our favour. The beach then trended more to the west; but the
breeze having veered to E. by N. and become strong, with much sea, it was
considered too dangerous to follow it any longer. At five, the western
and most considerable of two shallow-looking openings bore north-west,
seven or eight miles; and at sunset, some high and remarkable land was
perceived bearing S. W. by W., which proved to be the same discovered by
Mr. Bass, and now bearing the name of _Wilson's Promontory_. It appeared,
from a partial view given by a break in the clouds, as if cut in two, and
the parts had been removed to some distance from each other: the gap was
probably Sealers Cove.

[* It was 147° 10'; but as I afterwards found that observations of the
sun to the east gave 27' less, by this small five inch sextant, and those
to the west 27' greater than the mean of both, that correction is here
applied; but not any which might be required from errors in the solar or
lunar tables.]

The state of the weather, and the land to leeward, made it necessary to
haul up south-eastward, close upon a wind. At day-break of the 8th,
neither Wilson's Promontory nor any other land to the northward could be
seen; but between the bearings of N. 84° and S. 63° E., six or eight
miles distant, there was land rather high and irregular, with a cliffy
shore; and a separate cluster of rocky islets bore south to S. 16° W.,
from three to five miles. We passed close to these last, at six o'clock,
and perceived that the tide, which before had set to leeward, was then
turned to the east: the moon had just before passed the meridian.

This small cluster consists of a steep island, near one mile in length,
of two smaller round islets, and two or three rocks; one of which
obtained the name of _Judgment Rock_, from its resemblance to an elevated
seat. The higher and more considerable land to the eastward was seen, as
we advanced, to divide itself also into several parts. This group is
principally composed of three islands; and between the largest on the
east and two others on the west, there appeared to be a deep channel. The
other parts are rocks, which lie scattered mostly off the north-western
island. These two clusters were called KENT'S GROUPS, in honour of my
friend captain William Kent, then commander of the Supply.

Our latitude at noon was 39° 38'; the steep island of the small group
bore N. 50° W., and the passage through the larger islands N. 12° E.,
six or eight miles. This observation places the centre of the passage and
of the large group, in about 39° 29' south; and from the lunar
observations of the preceding day, brought on by log, (for unfortunately
I had no time keeper,) it should lie in longitude 147° 25' east. It is,
however, to be observed, that a fortuitous compensation of errors can
alone render a dead reckoning correct in the way of such tides as we had
experienced during the last twenty-four hours.*

[* The longitude of the large group, as given by my time keepers in a
future voyage, is 147° 17'.]

By keeping the wind to the southward, we came up with a pyramidal-shaped
rock through which there is a chasm: it bore W. 8° S. one mile, at four
o'clock, when the eastern island of Kents large group was set at N. 17°
E, five or six leagues. At six, the pyramid bore N. 38° W. five miles,
and high land came in sight to the eastward: one piece extended from N.
75° to S. 87° E., apparently about five leagues distant, and the bluff,
southern end of another range of hills bore S. 51° E., something further.
Captain Hamilton supposed these to be parts of the land he had seen to
the north-west of Preservation Island, where the wreck of his ship was
lying; but whether they might belong to Furneaux's Islands or to the
main, was unknown to him. He had always gone to, and returned from his
island by the east side of this land; and the wind having veered
northward, the schooner was kept as much to the north-east as possible,
in order to pursue the same track.

We came up with a low point or island at eleven at night, when the wind
died away. At six in the morning of Feb. 9., the northern land extended
from N. 49° E. three leagues, to S. 47° E. four or five miles; the
southern land bore S. 24° to 2° E. five or six leagues, and seemed to
form a hilly, separate island; although, as low land was seen between
them, the two may probably be connected: there was also a cliffy island
bearing north, seven or eight miles. On a breeze springing up from
south-west, our course was steered to pass close round the northern land;
but finding much rippling water between it and two islands called the
_Sisters_ by captain Furneaux, we passed round them also, and then hauled
to the southward along the eastern shore.

This northern land, or island as it proved to be, has some ridges of
sandy-looking hills extending north and south between the two shores; and
they are sufficiently high to be visible ten leagues from a ship's deck
in clear weather. On the west side of the north point, the hills come
nearly down to the water; but on the east side, there is two or three
miles of flat land between their feet and the shore. The small trees and
brush wood which partly covered the hills, seemed to shoot out from sand
and rock; and if the vallies and low land within be not better than what
appeared from the sea, the northern part of this great island is sterile
indeed. The Sisters are not so high as some of the hills on the great
island, and are less sandy: the small, cliffy island, which lies eight or
nine miles, nearly west, from the inner Sister, had no appearance of
sand.

Whilst passing round the north end of Furneaux's Islands, I experienced
how little dependence was to be put in compass bearings, in such, at
least, as were taken with my best instrument, the steering compass of the
schooner. The south extreme of the inner Sister shut on with the
north-west point of the great island at E. ¾ S., magnetic bearing; but
after passing round, they shut, on the other side, at W. by N. ¼ N.; so
that, to produce an agreement, it was necessary to allow half a point
more east variation on the first, when the schooner's head was N. by W.,
than on the last, when it was S. S. E. In a second instance, the north
end of the outer Sister opened from the inner one at N. E. ½ N.; but they
came on again at S. W. ½ W., making a difference of a whole point, when
the head was N. by W. and E. S. E. These bearings were probably not
correct within two or three degrees; but they showed that a change in the
course steered produced an alteration in the compass.

The observed latitude at noon was 39° 50 1/3', the centre of the outer
Sister bore N. 34° W., nearly five leagues, and our distance from the
sandy, eastern shore of the great island was about six miles. At two,
o'clock, we came up with an island of three miles in length, and nearly
the same space distant from a sandy projection of the great island. The
passage between them is much contracted by shoal spits of sand which run
out from each side; and it seemed doubtful, whether the water were deep
enough in any part of the channel to admit a ship. The form of the land
here is somewhat remarkable: upon the low projection of the great island
there are three pyramidal hills, which obtained the name of the
_Patriarchs_, and stand apart from the more western high land; and upon
the south-west end of the island opposite there is also a pyramid, which,
with other hills near it, presents some resemblance to the Lion's Head
and Rump at the Cape of Good Hope. This island and two rocky islets lying
off its south-east end were afterwards called the _Babel Isles_. The
largest is covered with tufted grass and brush wood; and the whole
appeared to be much frequented by shags, sooty petrels, and other sea
birds.

We had scarcely passed the Babel Isles, when the wind, which had been at
W. by S., chopped round to the southward, with squally weather, and drove
the schooner off to the north-east. In the night, it became less
unfavourable; and at noon of the 10th, our latitude was 40° 3½'; the
isles bore N. 78° W., three or four leagues, and the high land of _Cape
Barren_ S. 13° to 34° W. Having a fair wind in the afternoon, we passed
along the outskirts of the Bay of Shoals, without perceiving any
breakers; but in the space between the great island and the land of Cape
Barren there were many rocks, and a low island of three or four miles
long, with a hill in the middle, lay at the entrance of the opening.

The high part of Cape-Barren Island, but particularly the peak, may be
seen eleven, and perhaps more leagues from a ship's deck. The extremity
of the cape is a low point, which runs out two miles east from the high
land; and off this point lies a flat, rocky islet and a peaked rock. The
shore is sandy on each side of the Cape point: it trends N. 40° W., for
about five miles, on one side, and S. 49° W., past two sandy bights on
the other, to a rocky projection on which are two whitish _cones_, shaped
like rhinoceros' horns.

We steered south-westward, in the evening, round the Cape point, and were
sufficiently close to hear the bellowing of the seals upon the islet.
Arrived off _Cone Point_, the schooner was hauled offshore; and the wind
becoming strong and unfavourable in the night, it was not until the
evening of the 12th, that we got to anchor in _Hamilton's Road_, at the
east end of Preservation Island. This road is sheltered from all winds,
except between south and S. S. E.; and these do not throw in much sea:
the bottom is good-holding sand, in from 4 to 3 fathoms, at a quarter of
a mile from the beach.

The ship Sydney Cove had been run on shore between Preservation and Rum
Islands, and part of her hull was still lying there; but the sea thrown
in by western gales had, in great measure, broken her up, and scattered
the beams, timbers, and parts of the cargo, upon all the neighbouring
shores.

My purpose of making an expedition amongst the islands was delayed by the
schooner's boat being out of repair; but in the mean time, a base line
was measured round the sandy north-east end of Preservation Island, and
angles taken from all the conspicuous points.

Feb. 16. The boat was fitted, and I made an excursion of five days,
through the channel which separates the land of Cape Barren from the more
southern islands. It is called ARMSTRONG'S CHANNEL, from the master of
the Supply, who had gone to afford assistance in saving the cargo of the
Sydney Cove, and was the first to pass through it on his return towards
Port Jackson; but he never arrived there, having, in all probability,
perished at sea with his sloop and crew. The stations whence angles were
taken for a survey of the channel and surrounding lands, were--1st.
_Point Womat_, a rocky projection of Cape-Barren Island, where a number
of the new animals, called _womat_, were seen, and some killed. 2nd.
_Battery Island_; so named from four rocks upon it, resembling mounted
guns; sooty petrels, and large hair seals were found there. 3rd. The
sandy north-east point of Clarke's Island; which, with the opposite
_Sloping Point_, forms the narrowest part of the channel. Its width was
found to be three-quarters of a mile, but is somewhat contracted by rocks
lying on the south side. These rocks were also frequented by hair seals,
and some of them (the old males) were of an enormous size, and of
extraordinary power. I levelled my gun at one, which was sitting on the
top of a rock with his nose extended up towards the sun, and struck him
with three musket balls. He rolled over, and plunged into the water; but
in less than half an hour had taken his former station and attitude. On
firing again, a stream of blood spouted forth from his breast to some
yards distance, and he fell back, senseless. On examination, the six
balls were found lodged in his breast; and one, which occasioned his
death, had pierced the heart: his weight was equal to that of a common
ox.

The 4th station was on Sloping Point, where an aculeated ant-eater was
caught, and some quartz crystals were picked up from the shore. 5th, At
the east side of _Kent's Bay_, under the peak of Cape Barren. This peak I
wished to ascend, in order to obtain a view of the surrounding lands,
particularly of an extensive piece to the southward, which, from the
smokes continually seen there, was supposed to be a part of Van Diemen's
Land; but the almost impenetrable brush wood, with which the sides of the
peak and surrounding hills were covered, defeated my purpose.

The 6th station was at _Passage Point_. The 7th, on Cone Point, where the
number of seals exceeded every thing we had, any of us, before witnessed;
and they were smaller, and of a different species from those which
frequented Armstrong's Channel. Instead of the bull-dog nose, and
thinly-set, sandy hair, these had sharp-pointed noses, and the general
colour of the hair approached to a black; but the tips were of a silver
grey, and underneath was a fine, whitish, thick fur. The commotion
excited by our presence, in this assemblage of several thousand timid
animals, was very interesting to me, who knew little of their manners.
The young cubs huddled together in the holes of the rocks, and moaned
piteously; those more advanced scampered and rolled down to the water,
with their mothers; whilst some of the old males stood up in defence of
their families, until the terror of the sailors bludgeons became too
strong to be resisted. Those who have seen a farm yard, well stocked with
pigs, calves, sheep, oxen, and with two or three litters of puppies, with
their mothers, in it, and have heard them all in tumult together, may
form a good idea of the confused noise of the seals at Cone Point. The
sailors killed as many of these harmless, and not unamiable creatures, as
they were able to skin during the time necessary for me to take the
requisite angles; and we then left the poor affrighted multitude to
recover from the effect of our inauspicious visit.

My 8th station was taken, in returning to the schooner, upon the south
end of the eastern _Passage Isle_; 9th, the south-west end of the western
Passage Isle; and 10th, the south-east point of Clarke's Island. The 11th
and last station was at _Look-out Head_, the bearings from which included
some parts of the southern land, between the extremes of S. 20° 20' E.
and S. 59° 35' W. At these different stations, the needle of the
theodolite was sometimes found to vary one or two degrees from itself, as
it had done at Preservation Island; an effect which I attribute to the
attraction of the rocks, having since experienced the same, and even
greater, differences in most places where the rocks, as here, are
granitic.

In the wider parts of Armstrong's Channel there are many shoals of sand
on each side, but a passage of sufficient width and depth is swept out by
the tides, for ships to go through in safety. The bottom is either rocky
or sandy: rocky in the deep and narrow parts, where the tides run three
or four miles in an hour; and sandy in the bights and shoaler places. The
sand of the beaches is mostly granitic, but it sometimes consists of
black metallic particles, such as are found in the stone of the islands.

It was not until Feb. 25 that the remains of the Sydney-Cove's cargo were
all on board, and that a favourable change in the wind permitted us to
sail for Port Jackson. These four days of detention enabled me to
continue the survey along the south side of Preservation Island, and as
far as the _Bay of Rocks_ upon that of Cape Barren. A meridian altitude
from the south horizon, observed under more favourable circumstances than
two others before taken, gave 40° 28' for the latitude of Hamilton's
Road. The longitude is 19' 20" west of Cape Barren; and therefore should
be 148° 6' east of Greenwich. It is high water in the road, according to
Mr. Hamilton's report, _half an hour before_ the moon passes over the
meridian; but from what I observed, without paying particular attention
to it, the tide did not appear to flow so late by an hour: the medium
rise was about seven feet, as at Port Jackson.

Well tasted fresh water is collected, at certain seasons, in small pools
near the east end of Preservation Island; but that which drains from the
rocks was first used by the Sydney-Cove's crew, until several of them
died. Small runs or pools of water are to be found almost every where
under the high parts of Cape-Barren Island, and it is probable there may
be some upon Clarke's Island; but at the Passage Isles we found it
difficult to obtain wherewithal to satisfy our thirst.

The stone of which the southern, and probably the whole of Furneaux's
Islands are composed, is mostly a whitish granite, but sometimes
inclining to red; and is full of small, black specks. Quartz seems to
have a more than usual share in its composition, and we occasionally
found crystals of that substance upon the shores. The black specks were
thought to be grains of tin, and to have communicated a deleterious
quality to the water used by the shipwrecked people. The exceptions to
the general prevalence of granite were few: they consisted of some black,
and some grey slate, in thin _strata_, placed nearly perpendicular to the
horizon; but even here, the granite had pervaded the fissures of the
_strata_; and, in two instances, a substance which, from its appearance,
I supposed to be a toad stone, had insinuated itself.

Some of the trees on Preservation Island had partly undergone a peculiar
transformation. The largest of them were not thicker than a man's leg,
and the whole were decayed; but whilst the upper branches continued to be
of wood, the roots at the surface, and the trunks up to a certain height,
were of a stony substance resembling chalk. On breaking these chalky
trunks, which was easily done, rings of the brown wood sometimes appeared
in them, as if imperfectly converted; but in the greater number, nothing
more than circular traces remained. The situation in which these trees
were principally found, is a sandy valley near the middle of the island,
which was likewise remarkable for the quantity of bones of birds and
small quadrupeds, with which it was strewed. The petrefactions were
afterwards more particularly examined by Mr. Bass, who adopted the
opinion that they had been caused by water.

Upon Cape-Barren Island the hills rise to a considerable height, that of
the peak, which does not much exceed some others, being near twelve
hundred feet; but on the smaller islands there is no elevation of
importance. The upper parts of all are generally crowned with huge lumps
of granite; and upon many of these, particularly on Rum Island, is a
smaller, unconnected, round lump, which rests in a hollow at the top, as
a cup in its saucer; and I observed with a glass, that there was a stone
of this kind at the summit of the peak of Cape Barren. The lower parts of
the islands are commonly sandy; and, in several places under the hills,
swamps and pools are formed. The water in these is generally tinged red;
and in one, situate between Passage and Cone Points, it had so much the
appearance of blood, that I went to taste it; but, except being a little
brackish, found nothing remarkable. Whether the water become thus tinged,
in its course down the hills, by earthy or metallic substances, or
acquire its colour from the roots and leaves of vegetables, I am unable
to decide; but think the former most probable.

All the islands are over-run with brush wood, amongst which, in the more
sheltered and less barren parts, are mixed a few stunted trees, which
seem to shed their bark annually, and to be of the heavy kind called gum
tree at Port Jackson. The brush wood overspreads even the rocks where it
can get the least hold; it is commonly impenetrable, and on the south and
west sides of the islands assumes a depressed, creeping form, strongly
indicative of the strength and generality of the winds from those
quarters. Many of the sandy parts are covered with the hassocks of wiry
grass, which constitute the favourite retreat of the sooty petrel; and at
the back of the shores, there is frequently some extent of ground where
the creeping, salt plants grow, and to which the penguins principally
resort. To this general account of the scanty vegetable productions of
Furneaux's Islands, may be added several low shrubs, and a grass which
grows on the moist grounds near the borders of the pools and fresh
swamps, and which, though coarse, might serve as food for cattle.

Of the animal productions of the islands, the list is somewhat more
extensive. Those for which they are indebted to the sea, are seals of two
kinds, sooty petrels, and penguins. The hair seal appears to frequent the
sheltered beaches, points, and rocks; whilst the rocks and rocky points
exposed to the buffettings of the waves are preferred by the handsomer
and superior species, which never condescends to the effeminacy of a
beach. A point or island will not be greatly resorted to by these
animals, unless it slope gradually to the water, and the shore be, as we
term it, steep to. This is the case with the islet lying off Cape Barren,
and with Cone Point; with parts of the Passage Isles, and the south end
of Clarke's Island; and at these places only, did I see fur seals in any
number.

The sooty petrel, better known at sea under the name of _sheerwater_,
frequents the tufted, grassy parts of all the islands in astonishing
numbers. It is known that these birds make burrows in the ground, like
rabbits; that they lay one or two enormous eggs in these holes, and bring
up their young there. In the evening, they come in from sea, having their
stomachs filled with a gelatinous substance gathered from the waves; and
this they eject into the throats of their offspring, or retain for their
own nourishment, according to circumstances. A little after sunset, the
air at Preservation Island used to be darkened with their numbers; and it
was generally an hour before their squabblings ceased, and every one had
found its own retreat. The people of the Sydney Cove had a strong example
of perseverance in these birds. The tents were pitched close to a piece
of ground full of their burrows, many of which were necessarily filled up
from walking constantly over them; yet, notwithstanding this
interruption, and the thousands of birds destroyed, for they constituted
a great part of their food during more than six months, the returning
flights continued to be as numerous as before; and there was scarcely a
burrow less, except in the spaces actually covered by the tents. These
birds are about the size of a pigeon, and when skinned and dried in smoke
we thought them passable food. Any quantity could be procured, by sending
people on shore in the evening. The sole process was to thrust in the arm
up to the shoulder, and seize them briskly; but there was some danger of
grasping a snake at the bottom of the burrow, instead of a petrel.

The penguin of these islands is of the kind denominated _little_; the
back and upper parts are of a lead-coloured blue; the fore and under
parts, white. They were generally found sitting on the rocks, in the day
time, or in caverns near the water side. They burrow in the same manner
as the sooty petrel; but, except in the time of rearing their young, do
not seem, like it, to return to their holes every night. The places
preferred for breeding are those at the back of the shore, where the sand
is overspread with salt plants; and they were never found intermixed with
the petrels, nor far from the salt water. Their flesh is so strong and
fishy, that had not the skins served to make caps, rather handsome, and
impenetrable to rain, the penguins would have escaped molestation.

No other quadrupeds than the kangaroo, womat, and duck-billed aculeated
ant-eater were found upon the islands. The kangaroo, is of a reddish
brown, and resembles the smaller species which frequents the brush woods
at Port Jackson: when full grown, it weighs from forty to fifty pounds.
There were no traces of it upon the Passage Isles; but, upon Cape-Barren
and Clarke's Islands, the kangaroo, was tolerably abundant, though
difficult to be procured, owing to the thickness of its retreats. There
were also numbers on Preservation Island, when the Sydney Cove was first
run on shore; but having been much harassed and destroyed, a few only
were shot during the time of our stay.

Clarke's Island afforded the first specimen of the new animal, called
_womat_; but I found it more numerous upon that of Cape Barren:
Preservation and the Passage Isles do not possess it. This little
bear-like quadruped is known in New South Wales, and called by the
natives _womat_, _wombat_, or _womback_, according to the different
dialects, or perhaps to the different rendering of the wood rangers who
brought the information. It burrows like the badger, and on the Continent
does not quit its retreat till dark; but it feeds at all times on the
uninhabited islands, and was commonly seen foraging amongst the sea
refuse on the shore, though the coarse grass seemed to be its usual
nourishment. It is easily caught when at a distance from its burrow; its
flesh resembles lean mutton in taste, and to us was acceptable food.
Another species of this animal has been discovered in New South Wales,
which lives in the tops of the trees and, in manners, bears much
resemblance to the sloth.

The aculeated ant-eater was not found on any other of the islands than
that of Cape Barren: it is exceedingly fat, the flesh has a somewhat
aromatic taste, and was thought delicious.

Of the birds which frequent Furneaux's Islands, the most valuable are the
goose and black swan; but this last is rarely seen here, even in the
freshwater pools, and except to breed, seems never to go on shore. The
goose approaches nearest to the description of the species called
_bernacle_; it feeds upon grass, and seldom takes to the water. I found
this bird in considerable numbers on the smaller isles, but principally
upon Preservation Island; its usual weight was from seven to ten pounds,
and it formed our best repasts, but had become shy. Gannets, shags,
gulls, and red-bills were occasionally seen; as also crows, hawks,
paroquets, and a few smaller birds. Fish were not plentiful, but some
were taken with hook and line from the rocks.

Speckled yellow snakes, of three or four feet in length, were found upon
Preservation Island, and exist, no doubt, upon the larger isles. They
sometimes get into the burrows of the sooty petrel, and probably destroy
the young. I saw one dragged out by a sailor who expected to have taken a
bird; but, being quick in his movements, he was not bitten. These snakes
possess the venomous fangs; but no person experienced the degree of
virulence in their poison.

The schooner was ready to sail on Feb. 25; and the wind from the westward
being fresh and favourable, we left Hamilton's Road to return to Port
Jackson. It was still a matter of doubt whether the land to the south of
the islands were, or were not, a part of Van Diemen's Land; and I
therefore requested of Mr. Reed to make a stretch that way. At noon our
latitude was 40° 44 2/3', and the peak of Cape Barren bore N. 13° E.; an
island which had been visited by the Sydney-Cove's people, and was
represented to be a breeding place for swans, bore from N. 68° W. to
west, five or six miles, and there were some smaller islets behind it.
The land lying two or three miles more to the south is sandy and low in
front, but ascends in gently rising hills as it retreats into the
country. Its general appearance was very different from that of
Furneaux's Islands, the lower hills being covered with green grass,
interspersed with clumps of wood, and the back land well clothed with
timber trees.

We stretched on until the land was seen beyond 40° 50'; and then veered
to the northward. In this latitude, captain Furneaux says, "the land
trenches away to the westward;" * and as he traced the coast from the
south end of the country to this part, there could no longer be a doubt
that it was joined to the land discovered by Tasman in 1642. The smokes
which had constantly been seen rising from it showed that there were
inhabitants; and this, combined with the circumstance of there being none
upon the islands, seemed to argue a junction of Van Diemen's Land with
New South Wales; for it was difficult to suppose, that men should have
reached the more distant land, and not have attained the islands
intermediately situated; nor was it admissible that, having reached them,
they had perished for want of food. On the other hand, the great strength
of the tides setting westward, past the islands, could only be caused by
some exceedingly deep inlet, or by a passage through to the southern
Indian Ocean. These contradictory circumstances were very embarrassing;
and the schooner not being placed at my disposal, I was obliged, to my
great regret, to leave this important geographical question undecided.

[* _Cook's Second Voyage_, Vol. I. page 114.]

At the time we veered to the northward, the coast of Van Diemen's Land
was about three miles distant, and the furthest extreme, a low point,
bore S. 15° E. two or three leagues. On repassing Cape-Barren Point at
four o'clock. I obtained two sets of distances of the sun west of the
moon, to pair with others of the sun on the east side, taken on the 10th,
also within sight of the Cape. The mean result, freed from the errors of
the tables, gave its longitude 148° 20' E; being 14' more than is
assigned to it by captain Furneaux, but 5½' less than what appears to be
its real situation.

Nothing worthy of notice occurred in our passage back to Port Jackson: we
made Hat Hill on March 7, and on the 9th, anchored in Sydney Cove.

Mr. Bass had been returned a fortnight from his expedition in the whale
boat; and he communicated all his notes and observations to be added to
my chart. There seemed to want no other proof of the existence of a
passage between New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land, than that of
sailing positively through it; but however anxious I was to obtain this
proof, the gratification of my desire was required to be suspended by a
voyage to Norfolk Island in the Reliance.

FLINDERS and BASS. 1798.

In September following, His Excellency Governor Hunter had the goodness
to give me the _Norfolk_, a colonial sloop of twenty-five tons, with
authority to penetrate behind Furneaux's Islands; and should a strait be
found, to pass through it and return by the south end of Van Diemen's
Land; making such examinations and surveys on the way as circumstances
might permit. Twelve weeks were allowed for the performance of this
service, and provisions for that time were put on board; the rest of the
equipment was completed by the friendly care of Captain Waterhouse of the
Reliance.

I had the happiness to associate my friend Bass in this new expedition,
and to form an excellent crew of eight volunteers from the king's ships;
but a time keeper, that essential instrument to accuracy in nautical
surveys, it was still impossible to obtain.

My report of the seals at Furneaux's Islands had induced Messrs. Bishop
and Simpson, the commander and supracargo of the snow Nautilus, to
prepare their vessel for a sealing speculation to that quarter; and on
Oct. 7, we sailed out of Port Jackson together.*

[* Mr. Bass' Journal of observations upon the lands, etc. discovered or
seen in this voyage, has been published by colonel Collins, in his
_Account of the English Colony in New South Wales_, Vol. II. page 143 _et
seq._; his observations will, therefore, be generally omitted in this
account.]

(Atlas, Pl. VIII.)

The wind being fair, we passed Hat Hill at four in the afternoon, and
next morning, made Mount Dromedary. I took this opportunity of passing
between Montague Isle and the main; but the depth of water being
uncertain, the Nautilus was desired by signal not to follow. There was no
bottom with 13, and afterwards with 20 fathoms, at a mile distance from
the island; and the passage seemed perfectly free from danger, and is
five or six miles wide. Mount Dromedary, from which the island lies E by
N ½ N., is the highest land upon this part of the coast; its elevation
being, I think, not less than 3000 feet. The top is about three miles
long, and the south end is somewhat the most elevated part; it is covered
with wood, even there, but still more so down the sides; the shore under
it is mostly a white, sandy beach.

(Atlas, Pl. VI.)

At noon the centre of the mountain bore N.N.W. four leagues; but the
haziness of the weather prevented an observation being taken for the
latitude, as it had before done when passing in the Francis*. We then
hauled further off the coast, with the Nautilus in company, and being
near the latitude of Cape Howe, at ten o'clock, lay to until daylight,
for the purpose of obtaining a good departure; but on the 9th, the wind
had veered to south-west, and the weather having a bad appearance, we
bore up for Two-fold Bay. The course after passing Green Cape, was N. 16°
W. seven miles to _Haycock Point_, and N. 44° W. three or four miles from
thence to the south point of entrance to the bay; the shore being all
along bold, and for the most part rocky. From the south point, which may
be known by its reddish appearance and having a steep rock lying off it,
we steered for _Snug Cove_, on the north-west side of the bay; and there
anchored in 3½ fathoms, sandy bottom, at something more than a cable's
length from the small beach, and the same distance from the two points
which bound the cove. In this situation, the outer red point was hidden
by Snug-cove Head; and further out, in 5 fathoms, where the Nautilus
anchored, the head and point were in a line.

[* The highest part of Mount Dromedary appears to lie in 36° 19' south,
and longitude 150° 11' east; or about 2' south and 11' east of its
position in captain Cook's chart.]

In order to make some profit of this foul wind, Mr Bass landed early next
morning to examine the country, whilst I went with Mr Simpson to commence
a survey of Two-fold Bay. In the way from Snug Cove, through the wood, to
the long northern beach, where I proposed to measure a base line, our
attention was suddenly called by the screams of three women, who took up
their children and ran off in great consternation. Soon afterward a man
made his appearance. He was of a middle age, unarmed, except with a
_whaddie_, or wooden scimitar, and came up to us seemingly with careless
confidence. We made much of him, and gave him some biscuit; and he in
return presented us with a piece of gristly fat, probably of whale. This
I tasted; but watching an opportunity to spit it out when he should not
be looking, I perceived him doing precisely the same thing with our
biscuit, whose taste was probably no more agreeable to him, than his
whale was to me. Walking onward with us to the long beach, our new
acquaintance picked up from the grass a long wooden spear, pointed with
bone; but this he hid a little further on, making signs that he should
take it on his return. The commencement of our trigonometrical operations
was seen by him with indifference, if not contempt; and he quitted us,
apparently satisfied that, from people who could thus occupy themselves
seriously, there was nothing to be apprehended.

We measured 116 chains along the north beach, and having taken the
necessary angles, returned to Snug Cove for the purpose of observing the
latitude; but the thick squalls, which were continually passing over from
the south-west, prevented a sight of the sun. The survey was continued in
the afternoon; and on the following morning, 11 October, the wind being
still unfavourable, the west side of the bay was nearly completed.

I was preparing the artificial horizon for observing the latitude, when a
party of seven or eight natives broke out in exclamation upon the bank
above us, holding up their open hands to show they were unarmed. We were
three in number, and, besides a pocket pistol, had two muskets. These
they made no objection to our bringing, and we sat down in the midst of
the party. It consisted entirely of young men, who were better made, and
cleaner in their persons than the natives of Port Jackson usually are;
and their countenances bespoke both good will and curiosity, though mixed
with some degree of apprehension. Their curiosity was mostly directed to
our persons and dress, and constantly drew off their attention from our
little presents, which seemed to give but a momentary pleasure. The
approach of the sun to the meridian calling me down to the beach, our
visitors returned into the woods, seemingly well satisfied with what they
had seen. We could perceive no arms of any kind amongst them; but I knew
these people too well not to be assured that their spears were lying
ready, and that it was prudent to keep a good lookout upon the woods, to
prevent surprise whilst taking the observation.

Oct. 12. We sailed in the afternoon, with a breeze from the eastward; but
a return of the wind to south-west, with threatening weather, induced me
to bear up again in the evening; and we anchored on the south side of the
bay. This part is not so well sheltered as Snug Cove, for the Nautilus
was not quite land-locked in 3 fathoms water. The weather became very bad
in the night; and, being no better on the 13th, the two vessels were
completed with wood, and the country further explored; a few more
bearings were also added to our materials for laying down a plan of the
bay, and thus terminated our examination.

The latitude of Snug Cove on the north-west side of Two-fold Bay, and by
much the best anchorage in it, is 37° 4' south. The longitude, from two
sets of distances of the sun west of the moon, deducting 16½' for the
errors of the tables, was 150° 3' east of Greenwich. The variation of the
azimuth compass observed on the beach, was 9° 29' and of the surveying
theodolite 11° 8½' east. My haste to complete the survey did not allow of
much attention being paid to the tides; but it was high water _about
nipte??? hours after_ the moon passed over the meridian, and the general
rise from six to eight feet.

Two-fold Bay is not, of itself, worthy of particular interest; but as
nothing larger than boats can find shelter in any other part of this
coast, from Jervis Bay, in latitude 35° 6', round to Corner Inlet, or to
Furneaux's Isles in 40½°, it thereby becomes of importance to whalers,
and to other ships passing along the coast.

Besides its latitude, Two-fold Bay may be known by Mount Dromedary, which
will be seen, in moderately fine weather, at the distance of fifteen or
sixteen leagues to the northward; and also by the land behind the bay
lying more in hummocks than elsewhere. One of these hummocks is round,
and much higher than the rest; and when it bears S. 60° W. (S. W. ½ W.
nearly, by compass,) a course for it will bring a ship to the middle of
the bay. On approaching near, she should look for two rocks, rather
pointed, of which one lies off the outer north, and the other off the
outer south point. Snug Cove is difficult to be distinguished by a
stranger; but on coming near the rocky head, at the south-west end of the
long northern beach, it will be seen on the south side of that head; and
the anchor must be then ready to be let go. If the wind be from the
southward, it should be dropped a little before the head shuts on with
the south point of the bay, in 5 or 6 fathoms water; and in veering away,
the lead should be kept out astern of the vessel. There is room for two
or three small ships in Snug Cove, but not for more.

Wood, in abundance, can be procured on every side of the bay; but there
are only two places where fresh water was found, and that not very good.
One of these was a swampy pond upon the low neck behind Snug Cove, where
casks might be filled without much difficulty; the other is near the
inferior anchorage on the south side of the bay; and both are indicated
in the particular plan.

The ponds and lagoons, which are to be found at the back of most of the
beaches, are frequented by ducks, teal, herons, red-bills, and some small
flights of the curlew and plover. The bay seemed to be well stocked with
fish; and our success with hook and line made us regret having no seine,
for the hauling of which many of the beaches are particularly well
adapted. It is not improbable that Two-fold Bay, like some of the open
bays on the east coast of Africa, may be frequented by whales at certain
seasons: of this I have no decisive proof; but the reef of rocks, called
_Whale Spit_, received its name from the remains of one found there. The
natives had taken their share; and the dogs, crows, and gulls were
carrying away the rest.

Oct. 14. In the morning, we left Two-fold Bay with a breeze at
north-east; and at sun-set, having run eleven leagues from the south
point, our departure was taken from Cape Howe. I then steered S. W. by
S., judging it to be the course best calculated to bring us within sight
of the land supposed, by captain Furneaux, to lie in 39° south. On the
15th, at noon, our latitude was 38° 34'; the weather was fine., but no
land visible to the southward. In the opposite direction there was a
range of hills whose centre bore N. by W. ½ W.; at sunset it was seen as
far as N. 37° W., from the sloop's deck, and from the mast head of the
Nautilus, the land was distinguished, or thought to be so, as far as N.
60° W. These bearings, but particularly the last, seemed to show a strong
current to the westward, for neither Mr. Bass nor myself could believe,
that the hills at the back of the Long Beach were sufficiently elevated
to be seen beyond fifteen leagues; I therefore took four sets of
distances, of stars east and west of the moon, which placed us, an hour
and a half after sunset, in longitude 149° 13' east, agreeing nearly with
the dead reckoning. The land, if it really were such, was consequently
twenty-five or more leagues off; and if the bearing of N. 60° W. were not
a mistake, it must have been thirty leagues distant in that direction.
This supposed land was visible all the afternoon; but it might possibly
have been the dense clouds hanging over the hills at the back of the Long
Beach, and not the land itself.

Our course to the south-westward was continued all night; but the wind
having veered to W. S. W. at daybreak of the 16th, the sloop was then put
on the northern tack. No land was visible in any direction; nor was there
any at noon, when the observed latitude was 38° 42'. The wind veered
round by the south until it fixed itself at east; and when the day broke,
on the 17th, the signal was made to the Nautilus, and we bore away S.W.
by W. until noon. The latitude was then 39° 11' south, and we judged
ourselves to be nearly in the meridian of the Sisters; the weather was
tolerably fine, and had been so all the morning, yet no land was any
where to be seen; and I therefore concluded, that none could lie in or
near the meridian of these islands, and be in the latitude of 39°.

The course steered at noon was west; but in half an hour it was altered
for high irregular land which came in sight to the south-westward, and
proved to be the largest of the two clusters which I had discovered when
in the Francis, and named _Kent's Groups_. We sounded in 30 fathoms, but
lost the lead, the _sole_ deep-sea line with which we had been furnished,
proving to be totally rotten. After running twenty miles, assisted by a
flood tide, we came up with the group at four o'clock, and steered
through the channel by which the principal islands are separated. It is
about three miles long, and a full mile in width; is free from danger,
and so deep, that our hand line could not reach the bottom. There are two
sandy coves on the east, and one on the west side of the channel, where
small vessels might find shelter, if there were any inducement to visit
these steep, barren, granitic masses of rock. Above the cliffs we could
occasionally perceive a brown-looking vegetation of brush wood, and here
and there a few starved gum trees; but there was neither bird nor
quadruped to enliven the dreary scene.* The principal island of the
small, western group, opened at S. 68° W., on clearing the channel; and
we then hauled the wind to the southward, for Furneaux's Islands, that
the Nautilus might no longer be detained from her sealing business.

[* Kent's large group is not, however, so barren and deserted as
appearances bespoke. It has since been ascertained that, in the central
parts of the larger islands, there are vallies in which trees of a fair
growth make part of a tolerably vigorous vegetation, and where kangaroos
of a small kind were rather numerous; some seals, also, were found upon
the rocks, and fresh water was not difficult to be procured in certain
seasons.]

The wind blew fresh from the eastward all night, with hazy weather. At
daylight, Oct. 18, a large piece of hilly land bore N. 48° to 64° E.,
four leagues; and soon afterward, _Mount Chappell_, a smooth round hill
which had been seen from Preservation Island, was set at S. 78° E.,
distant seven or eight leagues, and was as conspicuous on this side as
when seen from the eastward. Our latitude at noon was 40° 22', and Mount
Chappell bore N. 71° E. seven or eight miles, which would place it to the
north of its position before determined. Between us and the mount were
two small, low islands, and to the northward the hilly land first seen
was visible under the sun.

Finding the wind hang obstinately in the eastern quarter, we had tacked
to the north in order to keep under the lee of the islands. This course
brought us, in the evening, within two miles of the hilly northern land,
the same which had been discovered in the Francis, and of whose
connection with the great island of Furneaux I was doubtful; nor could it
yet be determined. The shores of the south-western part are rocky; and
the land rises, by a steep ascent, to hills of an elevation equal to that
of Mount Chappell. These hills are slightly covered with grass and small
brush wood, but the general appearance was that of great sterility.

About four miles to the south of this land we had passed a rocky islet,
and observed a circular reef which seemed to connect the two together.
The stormy appearance of the night induced me to stretch in, under this
reef; and finding there was shelter from the east winds, we came to an
anchor in 5 fathoms, coarse sand: the Nautilus followed; but not liking
the place, captain Bishop preferred keeping the sea. On sounding round
the sloop, I found the bottom every where foul, and that there were no
means of escape in case of a shift of wind; therefore, after killing a
few seals upon the granitic rocks, we weighed the anchor, ran two leagues
to the southward, and then hauled the wind under storm sails for the
night.

Oct. 19, the wind was at north-east; and we bore away to pass between
Mount Chappell and the low islands lying to the westward. The passage is
about two miles wide, and the water much discoloured; but 10 fathoms of
line did not reach the bottom. A similar appearance in the water had been
observed several leagues to the westward of the low islands, where there
was 23 to 25 fathoms, on a bottom of sand and broken shells.

This small group, to which the name of _Chappell Isles_ is affixed in the
chart, consists of three, or perhaps four islands, for the mount seemed
to stand detached from the land on the east side of the passage. The
basis of the whole is probably of granite, and they seemed nothing
superior in fertility to the worst of Furneaux's Islands; but in a
distant view, a slight covering of small herbage upon their sloping, even
surfaces, gave them a prepossessing appearance. Mount Chappell is five or
six hundred feet above the water, a very conspicuous object until, by the
clearing away of the haze the high mountains of the great island behind
it became visible: their white, towering peaks, bathed in the late
showers, reflected the gleaming sunshine with great splendour, and
presented a spectacle so magnificent, that the circular, gently sloping
Mount Chappell no longer attracted attention.

We joined the Nautilus off the south side of the islands and, after
passing several rocks in our course eastward, anchored at the east end of
Preservation Island about noon. Mr Hamilton had left his house standing,
with some fowls and pigeons in it, when we had quitted the island nine
months before. The house remained in nearly the same state but its
tenants were not to be found, having probably fallen a prey to the hawks.

Oct 20, the wind was at north-west, and blew a gale, accompanied with
rain, which continued for several days. This weather very much impeded
our progress with the Nautilus in Armstrong's Channel, but Captain Bishop
at length moored in Kent's Bay, the most secure place to be found within
reach of the sealing points. The greater part of Kent's Bay is occupied
by shoals; but along the shore of Sloping Point there is a deep channel
running northward, which leads into the western head of the bay; and
there, behind a reef of dry rocks, several ships may lie in 4 or 5
fathoms, sheltered from all winds. The Nautilus's tents were pitched upon
the borders of a run of fresh water, about one mile north of the
anchorage; and a garden, which Captain Bishop made there, produced some
tolerable vegetables.

We had no prospect of advancing along the north coast of Van Diemen's
Land whilst the strong western winds continued to blow; and therefore,
whilst Mr Bass explored some of the islands, I occupied myself in
sounding different parts of Armstrong's Channel, and in making some other
additions to my former survey. At length, on Oct. 31., the gale moderated
to a light breeze, and we stretched over, with the flood tide, towards
the Swan Isles. At noon, our situation was as under.

                                          °  '
Latitude observed,                       40 39 S.
Peak of Cape Barren,                  N. 16 E.
Van Diemens Land, eastern extr. about S. by E.
Largest Swan Isle, the centre,        S. 53 W.

Soon after three o'clock, we anchored in a small sandy bay, at the
south-east end of the largest Swan Isle, in 4 fathoms; being well
sheltered from north and western winds, but entirely open to any that
might arise from the opposite quarters. The furthest extreme of the
opposite coast then bore S. 36° E. three leagues; but the nearest part,
in the direction of S. by W., was little more than three miles distant.

I landed with Mr Bass; and leaving him to pursue his researches, went
round to the north side of the island, to take angles. From a small,
elevated projection there,

                                          °  '
The peak of Cape Barren was set at    N. 28 40 E.
Mount Chappell,                       N. 21 20 W.;

from which, and several intermediate bearings, this station became firmly
connected with the survey of Furneaux's Islands. Mr. Bass thought the
stone to contain a rather large quantity of iron, and the bearings seemed
to confirm it, for they did not agree in any common intersection with the
allowance of 9° east, which I considered to be the true variation; but
with 6° 30', they not only coincided, but placed this station in latitude
40° 43' south, the same as deduced from three meridional observations
taken within sight of the island.

One mile from the north-west end, lies a low, rocky islet, and several
rocks both above and under water. All these are comprehended under the
general name of the _Swan Isles_; a name which, on examination, they
appeared very little to deserve, for we did not see a single bird of that
species, or any of their nests; but there were several of the bernacle
geese, and two of them were shot by Mr Bass.

The length of the largest Swan Isle is two and a quarter miles, by a
medium breadth of one mile. The stony parts are over-run with thick brush
wood, and the sandy are mostly covered with hassocks of wiry grass, to
which the sooty petrels resort. In external appearance, this island bears
a resemblance to that of Preservation; but its sterility is greater, and
it is destitute of the kangaroo. We did not see any fresh water in the
valleys, a seal upon the shores, nor any marks of the island having been
ever visited by the natives of the opposite coast.

Nov 1. Having an unfavourable wind, I waited the flood tide, and then
proceeded westward, along that part of Van Diemen's land to which the
name of CAPE PORTLAND was given, in honour of His Grace the then
secretary of state for the colonies. From the eastern extremity, the
coast trends about N. 62° W. six leagues, and terminates in a point, off
which lie some small rocky islets. The shore consists of long, sandy
beaches, separated by low and stony points, which project very little
beyond the coastline. The country for two or three miles behind the shore
is low and sandy; but it then ascends in gradations of gently rising
hills, and being covered with verdure, interspersed with clumps of wood
and single trees of a fair growth, it had a very pleasing appearance. At
the back of these hills, the bare and rugged tops of a ridge of distant
mountains appeared here and there, and formed a striking contrast with
the verdure of the front scene.

Our soundings along the south side of the largest Swan Isle were
generally 8 fathoms, on a sandy bottom; nor was there much decrease until
noon, when the low shore of Cape Portland was at something less, and the
outer rocky islets something more than a mile distant, and we came rather
suddenly into 3 fathoms. The latitude observed was 40° 43 2/3' south, and
the island last quitted bore N. 85° to S. 84° E., distant six miles.

There being little wind at this time, the sloop, in passing round the
rocky islets of Cape Portland, was carried by the tide over a ledge where
there was scarcely 2 fathoms; and was then driven westward on a curved
line of rippling water, which extended northward from the islets as far
as the eye could reach. We passed over the rippling in 9 fathoms; and the
wind being entirely gone, were then carried to the south-west.

Soon after four o'clock, the ebb appeared to be making; and the anchor
was dropped in 11 fathoms, sandy bottom, about one mile west of Cape
Portland. The shore on this side of the cape trends south, in rocky heads
and beaches, and afterwards curves westward, forming an extensive bay,
which terminates in a point. To this the name of _Point Waterhouse_ was
given, in honour of the commander of the Reliance, and an island, whose
top is level and moderately high, lying off the point, was named ISLE
WATERHOUSE.

The bottom of the large bay is sandy, and the hills of Cape Portland
there retiring further back, permitted a view of the inland mountains, of
which there was a high and extensive ridge. Mountains like these are
usually the parents of rivers; and the direction of the ebb tide, which
came from between S.W. by S. and S.W. by W. at the rate of two-and-a-half
miles an hour, gave hopes of finding some considerable inlet in the bay,
and increased our anxiety for a fair breeze.

A set of distances of the sun east of the moon, a meridian altitude of
the planet Mars, and a western amplitude of the sun were taken at this
anchorage, the results of which, with the bearings of the land, were as
under:

                                                           °   '
Latitude observed,                                        40  44 S.
Longitude from lunar distances corrected,                147  56 E.
Variation of the compass (the sloop's head being S.W.)    12  30 E.
C. Barren peak, over the outer islets of C. Portland,  N. 47 E.
Mount Chappell,                                         North.
Isle Waterhouse, centre, dist. 5 or 6 leagues,         S. 71 W.
Point Waterhouse.                                      S. 61 W.
Ridge of inland mountains,                    South to S. 42 W.
Highest part of ditto, a round top,                    S. 19 W.

The flood tide ceased to run at three quarters past three in the morning,
or _about nine hours after_ the moon passed over the meridian.

Nov. 2. A light breeze having sprung up from the eastward we steered for
the bottom of the bay, and at noon the nearest part of the beach was
distant only two miles.

                                               °  '
Observed latitude,                            40 49¾ S.
C. Portland, with the outer islets behind, N. 27 E.
Isle Waterhouse, extremes,          N. 78° to 89 W.
Point Waterhouse,                          S. 88½ W.

We stood on another mile, and then bore away westward, following the
round of the shore, but no inlet could be perceived. At three o'clock, we
had passed Point Waterhouse, and seeing a fair channel of about two miles
wide between it and the island, steered through, S.W. by W.

Isle Waterhouse is near four miles in length. Its southern shore consists
of beaches and rocky points; but it rises abruptly to a moderate
elevation. The level top is mostly covered with wood; and although its
appearance did not bespeak fertility, it was superior to any we had seen
of Furneaux's Islands. The land at the back of Point Waterhouse is higher
than that of the island, and is composed of grassy, woody hills, rising
over each other by gentle ascents. Upon the point there is a sandy
hillock, and a reef of rocks extends out from it a quarter of a mile. We
had 8 fathoms, whilst rounding this reef; and in steering through the
passage, the soundings were 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 5, 6 fathoms; the sandy bottom
being visible under the sloop. At the further end of the channel, a rocky
islet and a small reef were passed, leaving them on the starbord hand.
The islet was almost covered with sea birds and hair seals; from which
circumstance we judged, that the natives of Van Diemen's Land were not
able to get across here, any more than to the Swan Isles; and that,
consequently, they had no canoes upon this part of the coast.

From Point Waterhouse, the shore trends S. 67° W., five or six miles, and
is mostly rocky. It then takes a direction of S. S. W., in a long sandy
beach, and afterwards curves westward to a projecting point, near which
we had no ground with 13 fathoms a little before sunset. Another island
had been for some time visible, and was then distant six miles: It was
called

_Ninth Island_, and bore                N. 32° W.
Isle Waterhouse, about the centre,           N. 50° E.
South side of the passage,                   N. 62° E.
Projecting point, dist. one-third of a mile,  South.

The projecting point is over-topped with hillocks of almost bare sand, as
is a second, which lies W. 6° S., two or three miles from, and much
resembles, the first: these two projections received the joint name of
_Double Sandy Point_. The back country was manifestly worse than any
before seen on this coast. The pleasant looking hills of Point Waterhouse
no longer approached the shore; but retiring far inland, left a low space
between the back hills and the sea, which had every appearance of being
sandy and barren.

In passing the western part of Double Sandy Point, we had 5, and then 4
fathoms; and saw a reef extending from it some distance to the westward.
It was then nearly dark, and we hauled off upon a wind, for the night;
the furthest visible extreme, a remarkable stony head, bearing S. 70° W.
about eight miles.

The wind blew a moderate breeze all night, at north-east. At five in the
morning, Nov. 3, the Ninth Island was distant two miles, and bore E. 2°
N., in a line with Point Waterhouse. The top of the island appeared green
and level; but I did not see any seals upon the rocks. Resuming our
former course along shore, we passed close to _Stony Head_ at ten
o'clock, when two sets of distances of the sun east of the moon, gave its
corrected longitude 147° 10' east. The wind having then veered more to
the north, we hauled further off, and passed a rocky islet (the tenth),
upon which a few overgrown hair seals were sunning themselves. At noon,
our situation was as follows.

Latitude observed,                       40° 55½' S.
Tenth I., distant four miles,         S. 87 E.
Stony Head, dist. six or seven miles, S. 62 E.
A low head, distant ten miles,        S. 35 W.
Western extreme of the land,          S. 53 W.

Stony Head is the extremity of a ridge of hills which branches out from
the inland mountains, and stretches across the low, sandy land in front,
to the sea. On each side of the ridge there were several smokes, which
induced me to suppose the flat lands might contain lakes of fresh water.
The low head, bearing S. 35° W. seemed to be the termination of another
branch from the inland mountains; round it there was some appearance of
an opening, and at two o'clock, this excited so much hope that I ventured
to bear away before the wind. We advanced rapidly with the flood, and at
four, had passed LOW HEAD and were steering S. E. by S., up an inlet of
more than a mile wide. Some shoals, not quite covered, we left on the
starbord hand; keeping a straight course for the entrance of a basin or
bay, at which the inlet seemed to terminate. This course took us over
some strong ripplings of tide, on none of which, however, there was less
than 5 fathoms; and so soon as they were passed, 13 fathoms did not reach
the bottom. After advancing three miles, we approached a low, green
island, lying nearly in mid-channel; and being uncertain which was the
deepest side, I took the most direct, which lay to the west. From 8
fathoms, the next cast of the lead was 3½, and immediately the sloop was
aground. Fortunately, the bottom was soft, and the strong flood dragged
her over the bank without injury. The water deepened again as quick; and
when the channel on the east side of _Green Island_ was open, there was
no bottom at 13 fathoms.

We could not but remark the contrast between the shores of this inlet,
covered with grass and wood down to the water's edge, and the rocky
sterile banks observed in sailing up Port Jackson: it spoke favourably
for the country, and added to the satisfaction we felt in having made the
discovery. There was, however, little time for meditation: the tide drove
the sloop rapidly onward to the basin; and the evening coming on, I
pushed between some dry rocks and a point on the western side, and
anchored in 2 fathoms, on a bottom of sand and mud.

There appeared to be three arms, or rivers, discharging themselves into
this extensive basin. That which came from the westward., had its
_embouchure_ close to the sloop; and Mr. Bass went off in the boat to
look up it. His attention was, however, soon called to another pursuit: a
number of black swans were swimming before him, and judging from former
experience in Western Port, that several of them were unable to fly, he
gave chase with the boat. On his return at dusk, he rejoiced us with the
sight of four, and with a promise that we should not be in want of fresh
provisions in this port.

Nov. 4. I landed Mr. Bass with two men, to examine the country, and then
commenced a survey of the port by an examination of the _Western Arm_. It
is narrow, and has not more in the entrance than 3 fathoms, although,
about one mile up, there be 7 near the starbord shore. This arm is not
accessible to ships beyond three miles; and even in that distance there
is much more shoal than deep water.

The rocks lying at the entrance of the basin are covered at the top of
the flood, but at other times are much frequented by shags. After
observing the latitude and taking bearings there, I went down to Green
Island; and the tide being then out, perceived the shoals in Sea Reach to
be so numerous and extensive, that it was surprising how the sloop could
have reached thus far without striking upon some of them. In the channel
to the east of Green Island I found from 7 to 25 fathoms, and both the
sides of it steep to; a rock lies in the middle of the passage, but at
twenty yards from it there was 3 fathoms all round. Green Island is
covered with long, coarse grass and bushes, with a few small trees
intermixed. The large, noisy gulls frequent it for the purpose of
breeding, as do the swans, several of whose deserted nests were found
with the broken egg-shells in them. These were corroborating proofs, that
the natives of this part of Van Diemen's Land have not the means of
transporting themselves across the water; for Green Island is scarcely
two cables length from the shore.

In returning to the sloop, I took off Mr. Bass and his party, together
with a kangaroo weighing between eighty and ninety pounds, which he had
shot out of a considerable flock. Our fresh provisions were still further
increased by an addition of six swans, caught this evening with the boat.

Nov. 5 was employed in the survey of the Western Arm, and searching, but
in vain, for the means of conveniently replenishing our water casks. Next
morning we steered across the basin., and sought to anchor under an
island which, from its situation at the entrance of the eastern arm, was
called _Middle Island_; but there not being a sufficient depth of water
behind it, the course was continued up the eastern arm, in 10 or more
fathoms water, for two or three miles; when we anchored upon a
five-fathom bank, near a small cove on the northern shore. On landing, a
little stream was found descending from the hills into the south-east
corner of the cove, and in the middle was a gully with several deep holes
in it full of excellent water: this last, though not accessible till half
flood, was the most convenient for our purpose.

There were many recent traces of natives on the shore; and after
returning to the sloop, we saw, on the opposite side of the arm a man who
employed or amused himself by setting fire to the grass in different
places. He did not stay to receive us, and we rowed down to Middle Island
where a smoke was rising. The natives shunned us there also; for soon
after landing, I saw three of them walk up from the shoal which joins
Middle Island to the opposite low, sandy point. The party appeared to
consist of a man, a woman, and a boy; and the two first had something
wrapped round them which resembled cloaks of skins.

The gently-sloping hills of Middle Island afford about forty acres of
pasture land, well covered with grass, and thinly wooded. No fresh water
was seen, but it might probably be obtained by digging. This island is
little frequented by aquatic birds, from the circumstance of its being
accessible, at low water, to the inhabitants of the main.

Nov. 7. Mr. Bass and myself landed on the south shore upon our respective
pursuits. The sandy point at the back of Middle Island was particularly
favourable to the survey; and a base of sixty-six chains measured round
it, with the concomitant angles, enabled me to connect the eastern arm
with the basin. The sloop had been completed with water in the morning,
and was ready to proceed in continuation of the voyage; but the width of
the arm, the depth of water in it, and strength of the tides, were too
strong indications of a river of extensive course for me to be able to
quit it without some further examination.

(Atlas, Pl. VII.)

A rainy gale from the eastward did not allow of moving until Nov. 9th; we
then got under way with the flood tide, and beat up the first, or _Long
Reach_, against a south-east wind. Abreast of _Point Rapid_ (see the
chart), where the river turned sharp round to the south-west, I went away
in the boat to examine the upper end of Long Reach; but the haste
required in following after the sloop, which the tide assisted in driving
fast upward, allowed me to do it but very cursorily. In _Crooked Reach_,
I stopped at two places, and measured a short base near _Glen Bight_. The
sloop was then lost to view, although the wind had died away; and on
reaching _Brush Island_, it was not easy to know which way she had taken,
_Round-head Bay_ having as much the appearance of being a continuation of
the river, as had _Whirlpool Reach_. This reach stretches south-eastward,
and its width is much less than in any of the lower parts of the river,
being no more than a short quarter of a mile; but, as might be expected,
the depth in it, from 10 to 22 fathoms, is greater, and its borders are
steep and rocky. At the end of Whirlpool Reach, the banks of the river
opened out so considerably that, from our little boat, it appeared like a
sea, the land at the further end being scarcely distinguishable.
Fortunately, we got sight of the sloop in _Anchor Bight_ before it was
dark, and carried with us another black swan.

Nov. l0, being under the necessity of going down to Brush Island, to
bring the survey up from thence to the position of the sloop, we did not
get under way till near noon. The wind was from the westward, and I went
forward in the boat to Egg Island, so named from the number of eggs,
mostly of the gull and red bill, which were there found. It is small and
stony; but covered with grass, and had not been visited by the natives.
My next station was on the opposite side of the river, upon a low sandy
point which is lengthened by a dry shoal. These project out from the
general line of the southern shore, and contract the river to less than
half a mile; whereas its width above and below, is one mile and a half.
On the east, or lee side of this point and shoal was a flock of swans, in
number not less than from three to five hundred; and their cast quills
were so intermixed with the sand, as to form a component part of the
beach. This countless number of quills gave me an insight into the cause
why so many of the swans, though not young birds, were unable to fly:
they moult their wing feathers, probably at stated periods, though not, I
should think, every year. This sandy projection was named _Swan Point_.

On steering southward from thence, I found that the bight in which this
great number of birds had assembled, was full of shoals producing the
long aquatic grass which forms the principal part, if it be not their
sole food. We sailed through the flock, and might have procured a good
number, had not the progress of the sloop obliged us to hasten onward to
_Shoal Point_: one incautious bird was caught by his long neck as we
sailed past him.

The change in the direction of the river, from south-east to south, made
the extension of a new base necessary. From the end of Shoal Point, I ran
thirty-two chains westward, across a small stream of _fresh water_; and
having taken the necessary angles, returned to the sloop, which had then
anchored at half a mile from the point, in 4 fathoms. The shoal was dry
in the evening, within two cables length of the vessel, and rendered the
fresh stream inaccessible to a boat.

The time of our absence from Port Jackson being restricted to the
beginning of January, I did not think it advisable to take the sloop any
further up the river; but determined, after devoting one day more to an
excursion in the boat, to return and proceed along the north coast of Van
Diemen's Land, in prosecution of the main object of the voyage.

Nov. 11, Mr. Bass landed near Shoal Point, to go as far back into the
country as the limited time would permit. I steered from thence over to a
red bank on the east side of the river, measured a base of seventy nine
chains, and took angles from a variety of stations. At the Crescent
Shore, the river was contracted to a quarter of a mile in width, the
water was half fresh, and the depth across as follows: 1½, 3, 5½, 8, 8½,
12½, 11, 6, 4 fathoms at half flood.

The direction of the river, from where the sloop was lying to this part,
is nearly S. S. W.; but it then winds round the Crescent Shore, and runs
E. S. E. My uppermost station was upon a hill near the water side, at the
commencement of this new reach; and from thence the river appeared, at
the distance of a mile and a half, to reopen out its banks, and to turn
more southward. In an eastern direction, across the wide part, there were
three ridges of hills, and beyond them some blue peaks and caps of
distant mountains, which I judged to be the same we had seen from Cape
Portland; and amongst which the source, or some of the sources of this
river most probably arose. The distance of these mountains concurred with
the strength of the tides and the depth of water to indicate, that, at
the Crescent Shore, the larger half of the river still remained to be
explored.*

[* The chart will show from later examinations, how far the river is
navigable, and whence its different sources are derived.]

The morning of Nov. 12 was foggy and calm. We rowed the sloop down with
the assistance of the ebb tide, to Round-head Bay, and anchored in 3½
fathoms. At high water, the anchor was again weighed; and at dusk, having
had a breeze, we reached the five-fathom bank in Long Reach, near
Watering Cove. From the upper end of Whirlpool Reach to Point Rapid, I
went ahead in the boat and examined all the creeks and gullies on the
western shore, for watering places. There were drains of fresh water down
some of these, but in none, not even in Glen Bight, was there any
accessible to boats.

Nov. 13, we beat down with the ebb tide to Middle Island, and then
steered across the basin for the _Middle Arm_, which was yet totally
unexplored; but after many ineffectual attempts to find a passage over
the shoals, we came to, in 5 fathoms, near the Shag Rocks, and I went to
examine the arm with the boat. From _Inspection Head_ I discovered a
narrow channel leading into it, where there was more than sufficient
depth for ships; but this arm is altogether of little consequence.

In the evening, it blew a gale of wind from the north-westward, with hail
and rain; and the same weather continuing next day, I employed the time
in examining Sea Reach. On the 15th, somewhat finer weather enabled us to
get down to Outer Cove, a place opposite to Green Island, where there is
room for a larger vessel than the Norfolk to ride at single anchor, in 8
fathoms. The head of the cove is shoal, and the stream that falls into it
is salt to a greater distance than a boat can go; nor could any
accessible fresh water be found in the neighbourhood. _Middle Rock_, so
named from its situation in the deep channel between the cove and Green
Island, is hidden at half flood. Fine muscles were gathered from it, many
of them containing small, discoloured pearls, such as are found in those
of Adventure Bay.

From this time to the 20th, the western winds continued to blow strong;
and finding, after an ineffectual attempt, that it was impossible to make
any progress in the voyage, we remained in port, taking astronomical
observations, completing the survey, and examining the country, until a
favourable change should take place. At the back of the longest beach
near Low Head, and on the same side, I found a deep pool of tolerably
good water, at which our casks were again replenished; and when the boat
was not employed in this, or other services, the people were sent swan
hunting, and never without success.

Nov. 20. The wind having become moderate at north-west, we beat out of
the port with the ebb tide; and at one p.m., took a departure from Low
Head. The breeze had then veered to E. N. E.; and when we had run nine
leagues, a head on the west side of the port bore S. 53° E., and the
furthest visible part of the coast was at west: being then dusk, the wind
was hauled off shore.

We had rainy weather in the night, and the wind shifted back to W. N. W.,
and blew a fresh gale. This soon raised a high sea, and reduced us to a
close-reefed main sail and jib; nor were we without apprehensions of the
shore for the following night, so much did the sloop drive to leeward. On
the 22nd at noon the gale was more moderate, the wind at W. by S., and
the weather permitted an observation to be taken for the latitude; it was
40° 13', and we had land bearing E. N. E. about three leagues distant. So
soon as I had satisfied myself that this could be no other than the hilly
land lying five leagues to the northward of the Chappell Isles, we bore
away before the sea; and by carrying all sail, secured an anchorage in
Hamilton's Road before dark.

It was not safe to move on the 23rd, and there being a lunar eclipse
announced in the ephemeris to take place in the following night, I landed
to observe it with the telescope of the sextant. The times at which the
beginning and end happened by the watch, being corrected from altitudes
of the stars _Rigel_ and _Sirius_ observed in an artificial horizon, gave
148° 37½' for the uncorrected longitude of Preservation Island; which is
37' more than was deduced from the lunar distances in the Francis. The
penumbra attending the earth's shadow is usually supposed to render this
observation uncertain to two or three minutes of time, or more than half
a degree of longitude.

Nov. 24. The gale had subsided to a moderate breeze, and we tried to beat
back to the westward; but finding too much sea, bore away into
Armstrong's Channel to speak the commander of the Nautilus; that, through
him, governor Hunter might be informed of our discoveries thus far, and
of the delays experienced from the western winds. I was happy to find
captain Bishop proceeding successfully in his sealing business, though
slower than he might have done, had the anchorage been nearer to the
eastern points.*

[* Nine thousand skins of the first quality, with several tons of oil,
were procured by the Nautilus, and Furneaux's Islands have since been
frequented by small vessels from Port Jackson upon the same errand.
Unfortunately, this species of fishery is soon exhausted in any one
place; or it would have been the means of raising up an useful body of
seamen, and thus proved of advantage, both to the colony and to the
mother country.]

In the evening it fell calm, and the tide being favourable, we rowed back
for Hamilton's Road; but a fair breeze springing up when abreast of it,
instead of anchoring we made all sail to the west-south-west for Van
Diemen's Land.

On the 25th at day-light, the Ninth Island bore south, five miles; the
wind had then shifted to N. by W., and blew strong, with rainy weather;
and at eight o'clock, it was at N. W. by W., and obliged us to tack
offshore. This gale cleared away on the 26th, and at noon our situation
was in

Latitude                       40° 34½' S.
Mount Chappell bore             N. E.
Peak of Cape Barren,            N. 78° E.
Land taken for Isle Waterhouse, S.  7° E.

We were then steering south-westward again with a fair breeze; but had
scarcely passed Stony Head, next morning, when another gale sprung up
from the north-west. It was a happy circumstance that we were able to
reach our new discovered port, and take refuge at the former secure
anchorage near the Shag Rocks; for this gale was more violent and of
longer continuance than any of the preceding. This long succession of
adverse winds caused us almost to despair of accomplishing the principal
object of the voyage; for of the twelve weeks, to which our absence from
Port Packson was limited, nearly eight were already expired.

Dec. 2. The gale moderated, and we made an attempt to continue the
voyage, but were driven back. On the 3rd, the attempt was repeated; and
the wind being light, we anchored at the entrance of the port, to prevent
losing by the flood what had been gained by the ebb tide. In the evening
a fair wind sprung up; and at length, to our great satisfaction, we were
enabled to proceed in the discovery of the strait.

The harbour, which we entered with so much pleasure on Nov. 3, and
finally quitted with still more on Dec. 3, was named PORT DALRYMPLE, by
His Excellency governor Hunter, as a mark of respect to Alexander
Dalrymple, Esq., the late hydrographer to the Admiralty. The following is
a summary of the observations taken there, for fixing the position of Low
Head, on the east side of the entrance:

_Latitude_ from six meridian altitudes, of which three
were taken in port, and three at sea within sight
of Low Head                                                    41°  3'
30" S.
_Longitude_ from two sets of distances of the sun east,
and two west of the moon, with Troughton's nine
inch sextant No. 251, corrected for the errors of
the lunar and solar tables                                    146° 43'
45" E.

From two sets of distances of the sun east, and two west
of the moon, with a five-inch sextant of Adams                146° 52'
46"

                                                       ---------------
Mean from sun and moon                                 146° 48' 15" E.
                                                       ===============

From one set of a star east, and one west of the moon,
with No. 251                                                  146° 52'
34"
From two ditto, ditto, with the five-inch                     146° 56'
50"
                                                       ---------------
Mean from stars and moon                                      146° 54'
42"
                                                       ---------------
Mean of all                                                   146° 51'
28" E.*
                                                       ===============

_Variation_ of the theodolite., observed on the shore
of Outer Cove                                                    7 28
east
Do. of the azimuth compass, observed in the same place,          8 30
Do. of the same, taken at anchor off the port, the
sloop's head being N. by E. (magnetic),                          7 44
The time of high water in Port Dalrymple, is _one quarter of an hour
before_ the moon passes over the meridian; and the rise of tide is from
six to eight, or it is said to ten, feet. The ebb sets out seven hours;
and both ebb and flood run with much rapidity in the narrow parts, but
the particular rate was not ascertained.

[* The longitude of Low-Head, deduced from the Investigator's time
keepers, combined with my surveys in the Francis and Norfolk, is 146° 47½
east; as the observations with the large sextant, No. 251, taken alone,
would give it very nearly.]

Port Dalrymple and the _River Tamar_* occupy the bottom of a valley
betwixt two irregular chains of hills, which shoot off north-westward,
from the great body of inland mountains. In some places, these hills
stand wide apart, and the river then opens its banks to a considerable
extent; in others, they nearly meet, and contract its bed to narrow
limits. The Tamar has, indeed, more the appearance of a chain of lakes,
than of a regularly-formed river; and such it probably was, until, by
long undermining, assisted perhaps by some unusual weight of water, a
communicating channel was formed, and a passage forced out to sea. From
the shoals in Sea Reach, and more particularly from those at Green Island
which turn the whole force of the tides, one is led to suppose, that the
period when the passage to sea was forced has not been very remote.

[* So named by the late lieut. colonel Paterson, who was sent from Port
Jackson to settle a new colony there, in 1804. The sources of the river
were then explored, and the new names applied which are given in the
chart. The first town established was _Yorktown_ at the head of the
Western Arm, but this proving inconvenient as a sea port, it was proposed
to be removed lower down, near Green Island. _Launceston_, which is
intended to be the capital of the new colony, is fixed at the junction of
the _North_ and _South Esks_, up to which the Tamar is navigable for
vessels of 150 tons. The tide reaches nine or ten miles up the North Esk,
and the produce of the farms within that distance may be sent down the
river by boats, but the South Esk descends from the mountains by a
cataract, directly into the Tamar, and, consequently, is not accessible
to navigation of any kind.]

Of the two chains of hills which bound the valley, the eastern one
terminates at Low Head; the other comes down to the sea, five or six
miles from it, on the west side of the port. The ends of these chains,
when seen from directly off the entrance, appear as two clusters of hills
having some resemblance to each other; and in fine weather, the distant
blue heads of the back mountains will be seen over the tops of both
clusters. These appearances, joined to the latitude and longitude, are
the best _distant_ marks for finding Port Dalrymple. If a ship come along
shore from the eastward, the Ninth Island, and afterward Stony Head with
the Tenth Islet lying three or four miles to the north-west, will
announce the vicinity of the port; and Low Head will be perceived in the
bight to the S. S. W., but it is not a conspicuous object.

Three or four leagues to the westward of the port, the back land is
uncommonly high, and the top of the ridge is intersected into uncouth
shapes. From the brilliancy of some of these mountains, on the appearance
of the sun after rain, I judged them to be of granite, like those of
Furneaux's Islands. These mountains, with the direction of the coast and
what has been said of the clusters of hills, may serve as marks for Port
Dalrymple to ships coming along shore from the westward.

Reefs and banks extend out to a considerable distance on the west side of
the entrance; so that strangers should avoid that side, and endeavour to
come in with Low Head. The greater part of these shoals, as also of those
in Sea Reach, are covered at half tide; therefore the first of the flood,
or even a little before, is the best time to enter Port Dalrymple, as
almost the whole of the dangers are then visible. A signal post, with
pilots, was fixed at Low Head on the settlement of the new colony in
1804, and beacons have since been placed on the most dangerous rocks and
shoals; it has therefore become unnecessary to give particular
instructions for sailing up the port, especially as they may be found in
my _Observations on the coasts of Van Diemen's Land, etc._; a little
memoir published by Mr. Arrowsmith, in 1801.*

[* In Mr. Horsburgh's _Sailing Directions, etc._ Part II., are given,
upon my friend captain Kent's authority, notices of the beacons laid
down, and directions respecting them; to which I add, from the
information of lieut. Oxley, that a rock, on which H. M. ship Porpoise
struck, lies W. ½ N. by compass, one cable's length from _Point
Roundabout_. There is no more than four feet upon it at low water, but it
way be safely passed on either side.]

We found Port Dalrymple to be an excellent place for refreshment. Out of
the flocks of black swans, from one-fifth to one-tenth of them were
unable to fly; and since the same thing has been found to obtain in the
months of January and May, as well as in October. it is probably so at
all times of the year. These birds are endowed with a considerable
portion of sagacity: they cannot dive, but have a method of immersing
themselves so deep in the water, as to render their bodies nearly
invisible, and thus frequently to avoid detection. In chase, their plan
was to gain the wind upon our little boat; and they usually succeeded
when the breeze was strong, and sometimes escaped from our shot also.

Kangaroos appeared to be rather numerous in this part of Van Diemen's
Land; but as they were shy, and we had little time or necessity to go
after them, one only was procured; it was of the large, forest kind, and
the flesh was thought superior to that of the same animal at Port
Jackson.

Ducks and teal went by flocks in Port Dalrymple; but they were shy, and
we took no trouble after them. The white-bellied shag, and the black and
pied red bills were common in the lower parts of the port, and some
pelicans were seen upon the shoals. The large black shag, usually found
in rivers, was seen in different parts of the Tamar; and upon another
occasion, we found these birds to be tolerable food.

Neither our wants nor leisure were sufficient to induce any attempt to
catch fish. Muscles were abundant upon those rocks which are overflowed
by the tide; and the natives appeared to get oysters by diving, the
shells having been found near their fire places.

The country round Port Dalrymple has, in general, a pleasing and fertile
appearance; nor did examination prove it to be deceitful. But this
subject, and what concerns the natives, came more particularly within the
department of Mr. Bass; and his observations upon them having been
published, I proceed to the continuation of the voyage.

Dec. 3, in the evening, the Norfolk was lying at anchor off the entrance
of the port, when a breeze sprung up from the north-eastward, and enabled
us to proceed along the coast. At dusk, Low Head bore S. 77° E. six
miles, and we then hauled off for the night. The shore on the west side
of Port Dalrymple falls back to the southward and forms a bight under the
high land, where it is possible there may be some small opening; for the
haziness of the weather did not allow the coast line to be distinctly
traced. Upon the back mountains are many variously-shaped tops, of which
the easternmost bore S. 5° E., and a flat one towards the other end of
the ridge, S. 38° W. The furthest land which could be seen was a round
hill, making like an island, and bore very nearly west from the mast
head.

Dec. 4. We resumed our course westward, but the wind being at N. N. E.,
did not dare to approach very near the shore. At noon, the observed
latitude was 40° 58', and the hills on the west side of Port Dalrymple
bore S. 65° E. five or six leagues. From thence to S. 38° W., where
another chain of hills came down to the sea, the country is well wooded,
and lies in hills and vallies. The Round Hill bore S. 65° W. five or six
leagues, and in the evening, when three leagues distant, the low land
connecting it with the main was visible.

During the night, and next day, Dec. 5, the winds were light and
variable, so that we made little progress. At noon, the furthest land
seen to the westward appeared like a small flat-topped island, but being
found to be connected with the main land, received the descriptive name
of _Circular Head_; a nearer projection, of a jagged appearance, was
called _Rocky Cape_, and a steep cliffy head still nearer, _Table Cape_,
from its flat top. Our situation was then as under;

Latitude observed,                    40° 56' S.
Round Hill, distant three leagues, S. 22 E.
Table Cape, north extreme,         N. 88 W.
Rocky Cape, highest knob,          N. 77 W.
Circular Head                      N. 71 W.
A flat-topped peak, inland,        S. 14 W.

The sandy shore abreast was seven or eight miles distant, and behind it
the land was low, but tolerably well covered with wood. The sole
remarkable object inland, was the flat-topped peak, which had very much
the appearance of an extinguished volcano. From after bearings, it was
found to lie S. 1° E. eleven leagues from Table Cape; and in that
direction its top assumes the form of a pointed cone.

In the morning of Dec. 6, our situation was N. 8° E. four miles from the
cliffy, north-east end of Table Cape, and the Round Hill bore S. 41° E.
Having a favourable breeze, we passed, at eight o'clock, within half a
mile of the reef which surrounds Rocky Cape, and steered onward for
Circular Head, which as yet was the furthest visible land.

Table Cape, Rocky Cape, and Circular Head lie nearly in a line of N. 62°
W., and are about ten miles apart from each other. Between these, the
coast forms two shallow bights; the shore of the first is mostly rocky,
and an islet lies in the middle; the western bight is sandy, and promises
better anchorage, particularly near Circular Head, where a vessel may be
sheltered against all winds from the western half of the compass. The
land at the back of the shore, from Table Cape westward, is of a
different description to that before passed: instead of having an
extensive view over a variegated, and well wooded country, the sight was
there confined by a ridge of stony hills, of which Rocky Cape is no more
than a projecting part.

Circular Head is a cliffy, round lump, in form much resembling a
Christmas cake; and is joined to the main by a low, sandy isthmus. The
land at the back is somewhat lower than the head, and is formed into very
gentle slopes. A slight covering of withered grass gave it a smooth
appearance; and some green bushes scattered over it much resembled, at a
distance, a herd of seals basking upon a rock.

We passed Circular Head at ten, and three hummocks of land then came in
sight to the north-westward, the southernmost and highest having
something of a sugar-loaf form. Between these hills and the smooth land
to the west of Circular Head, there was a large bight, in which some
patches of land were indistinctly visible through the haze; but as the
wind was then blowing directly into the bight, the fear of getting
embayed prevented its examination. Our position at noon was as follows:

Latitude observed,                            40° 39¾' S.
Circular Head, distant seven miles,        S. 17 E.
West extreme of the smooth land behind it, S.  6 W.
Sugar-loaf hummock,                        N. 55 W.
Northernmost hummock,                      N. 49 W.

From the time of leaving Port Dalrymple no tide had been observed, until
this morning. It ran with us, and continued until three o'clock; at which
time low land was seen beyond the three hummocks. This trending of the
coast so far to the north made me apprehend, that it might be found to
join the land near Western Port, and thus disappoint our hopes of
discovering an open passage to the westward; the water was also
discoloured, as if we were approaching the head of a bay, rather than the
issue of a strait; and on sounding, we had 17, and afterwards 15 fathoms
on a sandy bottom.

The wind having become light and the tide turned to the eastward, our
situation at dusk was little altered from what it had been at three
o'clock; but from the clearing away of the haze, the lands in the great
bight had become more distinguishable, and the following bearings were
taken:

Table Cape, distant 11 or 12 leagues,         S. 43½° E.
Circular Head,                                S. 26   E.
Sugar-loaf hummock,                           N. 75   W.
Extreme of the three-hummock land,            N. 48   W.
Low point in the great bight, with a cliffy
head at a further distance behind it,         S. 70   W.

The cliffs visible behind the low point had every appearance of being the
north head of an opening, but of what kind, our distance was too great to
determine.*

[* In 1804, Mr. Charles Robbins, acting lieutenant of His Majesty's ship
Buffalo, was sent from Port Jackson to examine this great bight; and from
his sketch it is, that the unshaded coast and soundings written at right
angles are laid down in the chart.]

During the night and next day, Dec. 7, the wind was variable, with
alternate calms. The latitude at noon was 40° 28', and the sugarloaf hill
bore W. by S. ten miles. On the 8th a breeze sprung up from the
south-westward, and threatened a gale from that boisterous quarter. We
were in 40° 23' at noon, and trying to work up to the land of the three
hummocks, to prevent losing ground; and at six in the evening, got to an
anchor in a quarter less 4 fathoms, in a small sandy bight under the
northern hummock, being sheltered from N. 2° E., round by the west to S.
30° E. Circular Head was still visible, bearing S. 35° E.; and the
difference of longitude made from Port Dalrymple was calculated at 1¾°,
subject to future revision.

Mr. Bass and myself landed immediately to examine the country and the
coast, and to see what food could be procured; for the long detention by
foul winds had obliged me to make a reduction in the provisions, lest the
object of our voyage and return to Port Jackson should not be
accomplished in the twelve weeks for which we were victualled. At dusk,
we returned on board, having had little success as to any of the objects
proposed; but with the knowledge of a fact, from which an interesting
deduction was drawn: the tide had been running from the eastward all the
afternoon, and contrary to expectation, we found it to be near low water
by the shore; the flood, therefore, came from the west, and not from the
eastward, as at Furneaux's Isles. This we considered to be a strong
proof, not only of the real existence of a passage betwixt this land and
New South Wales, but also that the entrance into the Southern Indian
Ocean could not be far distant.

The little time there was for examining the coast, confined my
observations to what were necessary for giving it the formation it has in
the chart. The country is hilly, and Mr. Bass found it impenetrable from
the closeness of the tall brush wood, although it had been partially
burnt not long before. There was very little soil spread over the rock
and sand, and the general aspect was that of sterility. Several deserted
fire places, strewed round with the shells of the sea ear, were found
upon the shore.

The south-west wind died away in the night; and at six next morning, Dec.
9, we got under way with a light air at south-east. After rounding the
northeast point of the three-hummock land, our course westward was
pursued along its north side.

A large flock of gannets was observed at daylight, to issue out of the
great bight to the southward; and they were followed by such a number of
the sooty petrels as we had never seen equalled. There was a stream of
from fifty to eighty yards in depth, and of three hundred yards, or more,
in breadth; the birds were not scattered, but flying as compactly as a
free movement of their wings seemed to allow; and during a full _hour and
a half_, this stream of petrels continued to pass without interruption,
at a rate little inferior to the swiftness of the pigeon. On the lowest
computation, I think the number could not have been less than a hundred
millions; and we were thence led to believe, that there must be, in the
large bight, one or more uninhabited islands of considerable size.*

[* Taking the stream to have been fifty yards deep by three hundred in
width, and that it moved at the rate of thirty miles an hour, and
allowing nine cubic yards of space to each bird, the number would amount
to 151,500,000. The burrows required to lodge this quantity of birds
would be 75,750,000; and allowing a square yard to each burrow, they
would cover something more than 181 geographic square miles of ground.]

From the north-east point of the three-hummock land, the shore trended W.
1° N. three miles; then S. 39° W. four miles, to a rocky point, forming
the south-west extremity of what was then ascertained to be THREE-HUMMOCK
ISLAND. The channel which separates it from the land to the west, is, at
least, two miles in width, and is deep; so that it was difficult to
conjecture how the Indians were able to get over to the island. It was
almost certain that they had no canoes at Port Dalrymple, nor any means
of reaching islands lying not more than two cables length from the shore;
and it therefore seemed improbable that they should possess canoes here.
The small size of Three-hummock Island rendered the idea of fixed
inhabitants inadmissible; and whichever way it was considered, the
presence of men there was a problem difficult to be resolved.*

[* Future visitants to these islands have seen the Indians passing over
in bodies, by swimming, similar to those whom Dampier saw on the
north-west coast of New Holland. Why the natives of Port Dalrymple should
not have had recourse to the same expedient, where the distance to be
traversed is so much less, seems incomprehensible.]

The coast on the west side of the channel lies nearly south, and rises in
height as it advances towards the cliffy head, set on the 6th p.m. The
north end of this land is a sloping, rocky point; and the first
projection which opened round it, was at S. 32° W., five or six miles.
Beyond this there was nothing like main land to be seen; indeed, this
western land itself had very little the appearance of being such, either
in its form, or in its poor, starved vegetation. So soon as we had passed
the north sloping point, a long swell was perceived to come from the
south-west, such as we had not been accustomed to for some time. It broke
heavily upon a small reef, lying a mile and a half from the point, and
upon all the western shores; but, although it was likely to prove
troublesome, and perhaps dangerous, Mr. Bass and myself hailed it with
joy and mutual congratulation, as announcing the completion of our
long-wished-for discovery of a passage into the Southern Indian Ocean.

We had a fine breeze at east; and our course was directed for a small,
rocky island which lies W. ½ N. 6 miles from the north point of the
barren land. This island appeared to be almost white with birds; and so
much excited our curiosity and hope of procuring a supply of food, that
Mr. Bass went on shore in the boat whilst I stood off and on, waiting his
return. No land could be seen to the northward, and the furthest clearly
distinguishable in the opposite direction was a steep island at the
distance of four leagues. The observations taken at noon were,

Latitude,                                      40° 23½' S.
The bird island, distant two miles,   S. 16 to 64 E.
Three-hummock Island, the sugar loaf,       S. 64 E.
Steep-head Island                           S.  9 E.

Mr. Bass returned at half past two, with a boat load of seals and
albatrosses. He had been obliged to fight his way up the cliffs of the
island with the seals, and when arrived at the top, to make a road with
his clubs amongst the albatrosses. These birds were sitting upon their
nests, and almost covered the surface of the ground, nor did they any
otherwise derange themselves for the new visitors, than to peck at their
legs as they passed by. This species of albatross is white on the neck
and breast, partly brown on the back and wings, and its size is less than
many others met with at sea, particularly in the high southern latitudes.
The seals were of the usual size, and bore a reddish fur, much inferior
in quality to that of the seals at Furneaux's Islands.

_Albatross Island_, for so it was named, is near two miles in length, and
sufficiently high to be seen five or six leagues from a ship's deck: its
shores are mostly steep cliffs. The latitude is 40° 25', and longitude
made by the running survey, 2° 7' west of Port Dalrymple; but it
afterwards appeared from the Investigator's time keepers, to lie in 144°
41' east of Greenwich.

The tide (apparently the ebb) had set so strong to the south-westward,
that notwithstanding our efforts to keep up with the island, it was
distant five miles when Mr. Bass returned and the boat was hoisted in. A
black lump of rock was then seen three or four leagues to the
south-westward, and the following bearings were taken just before making
sail.

Albatross Island,               N. 75° to 86° E.
Steep-head Island,                     S. 31  E.
Black. pyramidal rock,                 S. 59  W.