Volume 1 / Part 2 — PART II. (continued 2)

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 long

itude 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.

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,

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:

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.

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

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.

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

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:

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;

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:

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:

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,

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.

We kept close to the wind at north-east, in order to fetch Steep-head Island; but were carried so far to leeward by the tide, that soon after four o'clock our situation was as follows:

Besides these islands and rocks, we passed another cliffy island four or five miles to the south of Steep-head, and to which I gave the name of Trefoil Island, its form appearing to be nearly that of a clover leaf; there were, also, several others of less importance, mostly lying near the barren land. The steep south end of this land was set over the north end of Trefoil at N. 65° E.; and being almost assured of its separation from Van Diemen's Land, I added it, under the name of Barren Island, to the rest of this cluster; and in honour of His Excellency, the governor of New South Wales, I gave to the whole the title of HUNTER'S ISLES.

(Atlas Pl. VII.)

The north-west cape of Van Diemen's Land, or island, as it might now be termed, is a steep, black head, which, from its appearance, I call CAPE GRIM. It lies nearly due south, four miles, from the centre of Trefoil, in latitude 40° 44'; the longitude will be 144° 43° east, according to the position of Albatross Island made in the Investigator. There are two rocks close to Cape Grim, of the same description with itself. On the north side of the cape, the shore is a low, sandy beach, and trends north-eastward, three or four miles; but whether there be a sufficient depth for ships to pass between it and Barren Island, has not, I believe, been yet ascertained. To the south of the cape, the black cliffs extend seven or eight miles, when the shore falls back, eastward, to a sandy bay, of which little could be perceived.

Our situation at dusk, was three miles from the cliffs, with Cape Grim bearing N. 18° E. The furthest land, beyond the sandy bay, bore S. 4° E. four or five leagues, and proved to be near the westernmost point of Van Diemen's Land. The wind being strong at E. N. E. and the night dark and tempestuous, we kept as much under the land as possible; but found ourselves in the morning, Dec. l0, to be driven far to the south-westward. At eight o'clock, the wind having moderated, we made sail, S. E. ½ E; and at noon, were in the following situation.

The nearest part of the coast was between two and three miles distant, and consisted of sandy beaches, separated by points which had many straggling rocks lying off them. At the back of the shore, the land was low for two or three miles, and then rose gently to a ridge of barren, low hills. The inland mount, set at S. 53° E., appeared to be the north end of a second chain, much higher, and better wooded, than the front ridge: it lies eight miles back from the shore, and is named Mount Norfolk, after my little vessel.

After obtaining the noon's observation and bearings, we steered southward along the shore; and at six o'clock, had passed five leagues of the same kind of coast as before described; but the wind then flew round to W. N. W., and made it necessary to haul further off. At 6° 30',

Dec. 11. Before five o'clock, we came in with the land a few miles from where it had been quitted in the evening.

The wind was moderate at north-west, and we bore away along the shore, which was distant four miles, and much similar to that of the preceding day; but it had no scattered rocks lying in front. Behind some low cliffs, passed at seven o'clock, was perceived a small opening like a river, whose course seemed to run northward, between the front and back ridges of hills: a smoke, which arose from the inner side of the opening, was the first seen upon this west coast. I steered a short time for the entrance; but seeing rocks in it, and the wind coming more on shore, hauled off south, to increase our distance.

Two miles from the opening are the conic, and several low rocks, which were passed at the distance of one mile and a half. At ten, we kept two points more away, having gained an offing of seven miles; and at noon had,

The two last appear to have been the smaller mountains seen by TASMAN to the north-east, on his discovering this land Nov. 24, 1642; and I have therefore named the first Mount Heemskerk, and the latter Mount Meehan, after his two ships. The back ridge of woody hills does not terminate here; but it retreats further inland, and as far as could be perceived through the haze, rises in height to the southward. The extreme of the coast, which bore S. S. E., forms the southern point of a sandy, and rather deep bight, where I thought it probable there might be some small opening; but as the wind blew strong directly into it, there was too much danger in bearing away for its examination.

At three o'clock, we passed the southern point of the bight, at the distance of four miles; and the coast then again trended S. S. E., waving in rocky bights and projections. The land here rises by a gentle ascent for two or three miles from the shore; its appearance was smooth and uniform; but it was destitute of wood, and almost of other vegetation: the back mountains were obscured by the haze.

The heavy south-west swell, which had met us at the entrance of the Indian Ocean, still continued to roll in, and set dead upon this coast; and the wind blew fresh at W. N. W. Under these circumstances, we looked out for some little beach where in case of necessity, the sloop might be run on shore with a prospect of safety to our lives; for should the wind come three or four points further forward, there was no probability of clearing the land on either tack. No such beach could, however, be discovered; and we therefore carried all possible sail to get past this dreary coast. A remarkable pyramid came in sight in the evening; at eight o'clock it was distant five miles to the east, and seen to be a rock on the north side of a point, which projects two or three miles from the coast line. This point, named Point Hibbs after the colonial master of the Norfolk, is higher than the neck by which it is joined to the back land; and from thence, it appears to have been taken for an island by Tasman; for I consider Point Ebbs and the pyramid to be the two islands laid down by him, in 42° 35': their latitude, by our run from noon, is 42° 39'.

We hauled off, upon a wind, at eight o'clock; and at four next morning, Dec. 12, came in again with the same land. At five, when our course was resumed along shore, Point Hibbs was distant two or three miles, and the pyramid, which bore N. 31° E. over its extremity, then appeared like the crown of a hat. The coast to the southward is more irregular in its trending, is of somewhat greater elevation, and not so destitute of wood as on the north side of the point. At the distance of three leagues we passed a cliffy head, with high rocks lying a mile from it; and two leagues further, there were some patches of breakers two miles off the shore: the general trending was between S. by E. and S. S. E.

At ten o'clock, a projection which merited the name of Rocky Point bore S. 74° E., five miles; and here the direction of the coast was changed to east, for near seven miles, when it formed a bight by again trending south-eastward. The shore round the bight is high, and at the back were several bare peaks which, from their whiteness, might have been thought to be covered with snow; but their greatest elevation of perhaps 1200 feet, combined with the height of the thermometer at 62°, did not admit the supposition. These peaks are probably what Tasman named De Witt's Isles, from his distance having been too far off to distinguish the connecting land, and I therefore called the highest of them, lying in 43° 9½' south, Mount De Witt.

This morning, two sets of distances of the sun west of the moon were observed, and our situation at noon was as follows:

It afterwards appeared, that these smaller hills stood upon the extremity of a point; and in honour of the noble admiral with whose victory we had become acquainted, it was named POINT ST. VINCENT.

The western breeze died away in the evening, and the sloop was drifted in by the swell, and perhaps by a tide, towards an opening round Point St. Vincent. This opening is indicated in the small chart which accompanies the voyage of M. Marion, but does not appear to have been seen by any other navigator. Our bearings of the land, at sunset, deduced from the sun's amplitude and sextant angles, were as follow:

At a further distance, and in the same bearing with the pyramidal rock, was a steep, jagged point, which proved to be the south-west cape of Van Diemen's Land. Our latitude at this time was 43° 18½', the passage of the moon having allowed me to get an observation at four o'clock; from whence to eight, our position had changed only one-and-half mile to the east.

It remained nearly calm all night; and on the 13th, at daybreak, I was much surprised to find our situation near ten miles to the southward, instead of being in the same place. This circumstance, and a breeze which arose at north, precluded me from examining the opening as I had intended; for a width of three or four miles at the entrance, and the form of the mountains behind, made it probable that a considerable river discharged itself there; and the offset during the night strengthened the supposition. At six o'clock,

We were then steering for the South-west Cape, and at nine I set Mount De Witt over it at N. 22° W., our distance from the cape being then about three miles.

Seven islands and rocks were counted to the eastward, lying at different distances from the coast; and the wind having veered to west, permitted us to pass within them. At noon, the shore to the north being too near for the sun's altitude to be observed, its supplement was taken to the south, and gave the latitude 43° 27½'. A steep head which lies N. 79° E. four or five miles from the south-west Cape, then bore S. 74° W, three miles;* whence the latitude of the Cape should be 43° 29', which is 10 less than given by captain Furneaux, and 8' by captain Cook. This difference naturally excited some suspicion of an error in the observation, and I measured the supplement in the same manner on the following noon, when it gave 2' 40" less than the latitude determined by D'Entrecasteaux in Storm Bay. The South-west Cape is therefore placed 2' 40" further south than my observation gave it; that is, in latitude 43° 32'.** The longitude of the Cape, from the observations taken off Rocky Point and brought forward by the survey, would be 145° 47'; but its situation in 146° 7', by captain Cook, appears to be preferable: D'Entrecasteaux places it in 146° 0'.

[* This head opened round the Cape at E. 14° N.. magnetic, the sloop's head being E. by N.; and shut at W. 20° S., when the head was north. In the first case I allow 3½° east variation, and in the last, 8°; which makes them agree as nearly as can be expected from bearings taken under sail.]

[** Captain Furneaux says (in Cook's second Voyage, Vol. I. page 109), that on March 9, 1773, at noon, the South-west Cape bore north, four leagues; and by referring to the Astronomical Observations, p. 193, I find that his latitude was 43° 45 2/3', which would place the Cape in 43° 33 2/3'; nevertheless the captain says it is in 43° 39', and it is so laid down in his chart. The observation by which captain Cook appears to have fixed the South-west Cape, is that of Jan. 24, 1777, at noon; when he says, "our latitude was 43° 47' south" (Third Voyage, Vol. I. p. 93.) But the Astronomical Observations of that voyage show (p. 101), that the observed latitude on board the Resolution was 43° 42½'; which would make the Cape in 43° 32½' south. I consulted captain King's journal at the Admiralty, but found no observed latitude marked by him on that day.]

The nearest land, at noon, was a steep head bearing N. 66° E., one mile and a half; and between this, and the head which bore S. 74° W., the shore forms a sandy bay four miles deep, where it is probable there may be good anchorage, if two clumps of rock, which lie in the entrance, will admit of a passage in. After taking bearings of Maatsuyker's Isles and the different headlands, we bore away eastward, and passed another deep, sandy bight, probably the same in which Mr. Cox anchored in 1789. At two o'clock, the

[* The magnetic bearing of the South-west Cape was W. 5° S., and that of the South Cape E. 15° S. The true variation I believe to have been 8° E.; but as the sloop's head was at east, no more than 3° are allowed, from a system which will be hereafter explained. It seemed necessary to say this, because the formation of the south end of Van Diemen's Land in my chart, differs from that given by captain Cook, and from those of most others.

In Bayly's Astronomical Observations, page 192, it appears that six sets of variations were observed on board the Resolution, Mar. 24, 1777, off the South Cape; the mean result of which was 4° 43' east. Next morning six other sets were taken near the same place, and the mean variation came out 10°8' east. In captain King's journal, I found the same observations entered, and that the ship's head was E. by N. ½ N. in the first case, and N. W. by W. in the second. This, with the example in the Francis, page cxxvi {The relevant paragraph begins "Whilst passing round the north end. . ." ebook Ed.}, and that in the Norfolk on the preceding page {a few paragraphs above this point. ebook Ed.}, may serve to show, for the present, that corrections are required to the variation, according to the direction of the vessel's head.]

At this time we were one mile within, or north of the largest of the islands; and saw with some surprise, for it is three miles from the main, that its grassy vegetation had been burnt. From hence we steered for the easternmost isle, lying off a wide open bight in the coast, and afterwards hauled up for the South Cape. The wind died away at six o'clock, when the Cape was one mile distant; but thick clouds were gathering in the south and west, and strong gusts with heavy rain presently succeeded. Fortunately, the squalls came from the westward, so that we were enabled to get further from those stupendous cliffs; had they come from the south, the consequences might have been fatal to the Norfolk.

The first steep head, to the eastward of the South Cape, opened round it at E. 7° N., (allowing 4° east variation,) and a second from the first, at E. 16° N., their distances asunder being each about five miles. It is the middlemost of these three heads which is called South Cape by captain Cook, as appears from the relative situations of his Peaked Hill and of Swilly rock; but he had not the opportunity of seeing the heads opening one from the other, as we had in the Norfolk. I make the latitude of the Cape (adding the 2' 40") to be 43° 37', nearly as captain Furneaux did; and as captain Cook would have done, had his latitude at noon been taken 43° 42½', according to the Astronomical Observations, instead Of 42° 47', as in the voyage.

Pedro Blame, or Swilly rock, became visible at half past seven, when the squalls had mostly blown over; and the following bearings where then taken: