Chapter XV: Part II (4)

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.

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:

Albatross Island, N. 18° E. Sugar-loaf hummock, N. 71 E. Western part of the barren land, N. 61 E. Steep-head Island, centre, S. 71 E. Black, pyramidal rock, N. 77 W. High black rock, dist. 2 miles, having breakers to the south-westward, S. 18 E.

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.

Latitude observed, 41° 13¾' S. Sandy west Pt. of V. D. Land, dist. 10 m. N. 10 W. Furthest extreme, a low point, S. 22 E. An inland mount, S. 53 E.

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',

Mount Norfolk bore N. 56° E. Low, rocky projection, distant four miles, N. 35 E. Distant mount, at the southern end of the back ridge, and the furthest land in sight, S. 42 E.

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

Mount Norfolk then bore N. 27° E. Low, rocky projection, dist. three leagues, N. 12 W. Two conic rocks, at the southern extreme, S. 42 E.

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,

Latitude observed, 42° 2¼' S. Furthest extreme of the coast, S. S. E. Mount at the southern end of the back ridge, N. 42 E. A peaked hill, four miles E. S. E. from it, N. 60 E.

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:

Latitude, 43° 7' S. Longitude from the lunar observations, 145 16 E. Rocky Point, distant six or seven miles, N. 3 W. Mount De Witt, S. 77 E. Highest of two smaller hills, at the S. extreme, S. 59 E.

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:

Mount De Witt, N. 18° E. Point St. Vincent, distant five miles, N. 57 E. Steep head on the east side of the opening, dist. 8 m. N. 86 E. Pyramidal rock, lying off a cliffy head, S. 46 E.

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,

Mount De Witt bore North. Point St. Vincent, N. 7° E. Steep head on the east side of the opening, W. 27 E. Pyramidal rock, off the cliffy head, N. 33 E. South-west Cape, the extreme. S. 82 E.

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

South-west Cape, distant 15 or 16 miles, bore W. 2° S. A steep head at the furthest extreme, which proved to be the _South Cape_, S. 72° E. *

[* 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:

South Cape, distant five miles, W. by N. East extreme of the next steep head, dist. 2½ miles, N. 14° E. Pedro Blanca, S. 33 E. Distant land through the haze, N. 60 E.

At nine o'clock we hauled up for D'Entrecasteauxs Channel, of which I had the sketch of Mr. Hayes, and stood off and on, in the entrance, during the night; the wind blowing hard at west, with dark rainy weather.

Dec. 14, at four in the morning, our situation was far to leeward; and having no prospect of fetching into the channel, we bore away for Boreel's Isles, which were seen bearing N. 65° E. two leagues. Three of these produce some vegetation, and that of the largest had been partially burnt not long before. The two easternmost, called the Friars by captain Furneaux, are bare pyramidal rocks, and, except where they had been made white by the gannets, are of a black, weather-beaten colour: a patch of breakers lies one mile to the north-east from them.

Fluted Cape opened round Tasman's Head at N. 18° E. We passed these steep projections at a mile distance; and not being able to fetch into Adventure Bay, did the same by Cape Frederick Henry.* At noon, this cape bore S. 13° W. eight miles, and Fluted Cape was behind it in the same bearing. I proposed to enter the Derwent River; but on making a stretch toward Betsey's Island,** it appeared that the Henshaw's Bay of Hayes, instead of being a shallow bight, was a deep opening; and as the north-west wind blew out of the Derwent, we stretched on, seven miles above the island, and came to an anchor in 10 fathoms, sandy ground. This opening is the _North Bay_ of D'Entrecasteaux; but I was totally ignorant, at that time, of its having ever been entered.

[* This name, given by Captain Furneaux, is altered in D'Entrecasteaux's voyage to that of _>Cape Trobriand_. The captain was undoubtedly mistaken in his idea concerning Frederik Hendrick's Bay; but this does not appear to be a sufficient reason for changing the established name of the cape, unless Tasman had applied it to some other land, which is not the case.]

[** This is the _Isle Willaumez_, of D'Entrecasteaux; but it was known to me from the sketch of captain Hayes, and is still to the colonists, under the name of Betsey's Island.]

Dec. 15, the wind being at north-west, we passed a sloping island (Isle St. Aignan of D'Extrecasteaux), and steered north-eastward, to explore the inlet. After running three-and-half miles, with soundings from 13 no bottom, to 5 fathoms, we anchored under a small island, which lies S. 75° W., one mile and a half, from _Point Renard_, the uppermost station of the French boats. This small spot received the descriptive name of _Isle of Caves_, and lies in the passage from North Bay to a large extent of water which appeared to the eastward, and which the French boats did not explore.

From the Isle of Caves we ran six miles, E. S. E. up the new bay, for _Smooth Island_. The width of the entrance, from Point Renard to _Green Head_, is two miles, the soundings are from 6 to 16 fathoms, and there are no dangers. Smooth Island, behind which we anchored in 4 fathoms, and where I again landed to take bearings, is three quarters of a mile long, and covered with grass and a few small trees. It had been visited by the natives, as had the Isle of Caves; but from the eggs of gulls found upon both, I judge they do not go often.

Dec. 16, we anchored two miles to the south-east of Smooth Island, in 6 fathoms, near a point of the main where a round hill afforded me a good view of this extensive bay. The country there is stony and barren, though covered with wood and much frequented by kangaroos. In the evening, the appearance of a southern gale induced me to shift our berth to the north side of the point; between which, and an islet lying half a mile from it, the depth was 5 to 7 fathoms.

On the 17th, we landed upon the islet, and killed some out of the many gulls by which it is frequented. A small arm of the bay extending north-eastward, where we hoped to obtain fresh water, was the object of our examination in the afternoon. There was a little stream falling in at the head, but rocks prevented it from being accessible to boats, or to a raft; and a walk of perhaps a mile to the eastward, afforded nothing but the sight of a stony country, and of a few miserable huts. Our greyhound started a kangaroo, but it was lost in the wood; and there were no birds to shoot.

Dec. 18, the wind still blowing fresh from the westward, we worked up to Smooth Island; and then stretched over to the south side of the bay. The soundings were generally 9 fathoms, on mud and sand, to within a mile of the shore; and at half a mile, where the anchor was dropped, the depth was 4 fathoms.

We landed at a steep, but not high point near the sloop, where I took some bearings, and observed the meridian altitude of the moon in an artificial horizon, which gave the latitude 43° 1½'; Mr. Bass, in the mean time, walked a little distance inland, but saw nothing of particular interest. Some further bearings were taken next morning, from a head lying to the west; after which the anchor was weighed, and we steered northward along the west side of the bay, with soundings from 8 to 4 fathoms. In the evening, we had worked back into North Bay, and come to an anchor under the north-east end of Sloping Island.

The great eastern bay now quitted had never been entered till this time; and as it is proved not to be Frederik Hendrik's, I have named it NORFOLK BAY. It is about eight miles long, north and south, and three to five miles broad from east to west. The largest fleet may find shelter here, with anchorage on a good bottom of 4 to 9 fathoms deep. We saw but one small stream of fresh water, and that was of difficult access; but it is scarcely probable that, amongst the many coves all around the bay, water convenient for ships should not be found. The country near the shore is rocky; but as the kangaroo seemed to be abundant, there are probably many grassy plains further inland. Wood abounds every where, except at Green Head, which is mostly covered with grass. Of the four islands in the bay, Smooth and Gull Islands were found superior in fertility to the main land: the first contains about forty acres of tolerable pasturage.

In North Bay, the upper part seemed to be circumscribed by a sandy beach, and to offer nothing of particular interest; we therefore steered downward, on Dec. 20, for the Derwent River; but rainy squalls coming on from the south, ran for a small beach on the western shore, and anchored off it in 2½ fathoms. A narrow inlet there, from which the tide issued with some strength, excited the hope of finding a short cut into the Derwent; but it proved, on examination, to terminate in a shoal lagoon. The country on its borders affords good pasturage, with some spots fit for cultivation; there is, also, fresh water on the north side, but only for domestic purposes. The lagoon is frequented by ducks, black shags, pelicans, and gannets.

Dec. 21, we proceeded round for the Derwent. On clearing North Bay, I went off in the boat to Betsey's Island, leaving Mr. Bass to conduct the sloop. This island is high, and accessible only towards its north end; its length is one mile, and mean breadth about half that quantity; the soil is fertile, and nourishes a luxuriant vegetation of grass and wood; and though the natives visit it occasionally, none of their traces were recent. On rejoining the sloop, I found she had passed between the island and two flat rocks near the main, with from 5 to 9 fathoms water; in which depths the gigantic sea-weed grows up to the surface. At eight clock we anchored in 9 fathoms, off Cape Direction, at the entrance of the river.

Dec. 22, a base was measured and bearings taken for a survey of the entrance, which proved to be near three miles wide. On the 23rd, the wind being fair, we ran upwards between shores which were sometimes steep, but generally of a gradual ascent, and well clothed with grass and wood. At nine miles from the entrance lies _Sullivan Cove_, on the west side, where a settlement has since been established by colonel Collins;* and here the width of the river is suddenly contracted, from one mile and a half to less than three-quarters of a mile, but the depth is not diminished. Four miles higher up we found Risdon Cove, and anchored there in 4 fathoms, with the intention of filling our empty water casks at the _Risdon River_ of Mr. Hayes; but finding it to be a little creek which even our boat could not enter, I determined to seek a more convenient watering place higher up the Derwent.

[* The first settlement was made in Risdon Cove, in 1803, by captain John Bowen of the navy, who was sent from Port Jackson for that purpose, by his Excellency governor King; but on the arrival of colonel Collins in 1804, it was removed to Sullivan Cove.]

Dec. 24, the wind being adverse to proceeding upward, an extensive set of angles was taken from the top of Mount Direction; and next day, I carried the survey up the river, whilst Mr. Bass ascended the great _Mount Table_, on the western side. At the northern foot of this mount lie _King George's Plains_, a name given by Mr. Hayes to about three hundred acres of pasture land; and in the front of the plains is his _Prince of Wales' Bay_, a small shallow cove. Such names as these led us, at first, into some errors with respect to the importance of the places sought; but after the above examples, we were no longer deceived by them.

In the afternoon of the 25th, we got the sloop, with much difficulty, five or six miles further up the river, to an inlet which I called _Herdsman's Cove_, from the pastoral appearance of the surrounding country. Two streams fall into it; and up the principal one, in the north-east corner, I went two miles with the boat. The water was there found to be fresh, and the depth sufficient to allow of its being reached by the sloop; but the banks being steep and channel narrow, I was deterred from watering in this place, by the fear of detention from foul winds.

The width of the Derwent abreast of Herdsman's Cove is half a mile; but except a very narrow channel close to the eastern shore, it is too shallow even for boats. The intention of proceeding further with the sloop was therefore abandoned; but so soon as the rainy, blowing weather permitted, which was not until the 28th, I accompanied Mr. Bass in a boat excursion up the river. Three miles above Herdsman's Cove the banks open out to a mile in width; the river, from running north-westward, turns to the south-west; and the deep channel makes a short cut across to the convex bank, leaving the mud to collect in the opposite elbow. A great deal of long, aquatic grass growing upon these mud flats, seemed to have attracted the black swans, for the number collected there was not estimated at less than five hundred.

The width of the Derwent is contracted in the south-west reach to little more than a quarter of a mile, and we had not rowed far up it before the water became perfectly fresh. The land on both sides rises to hills of moderate elevation, and the rather steep acclivities being well clothed with verdure, they had an agreeable appearance. Our attention was suddenly called from contemplating the country, by the sound of a human voice coming from the hills. There were three people; and as they would not comply with our signs to come down, we landed and went up to them, taking with us a black swan. Two women ran off, but a man, who had two or three spears in his hand, stayed to receive us, and accepted the swan with rapture. He seemed entirely ignorant of muskets, nor did any thing excite his attention or desire except the swan and the red kerchiefs about our necks; he knew, however, that we came from the sloop, and where it was lying. A little knowledge of the Port Jackson, and of the South-Sea-Island languages was of no use in making ourselves understood by this man; but the quickness with which he comprehended our signs spoke in favour of his intelligence. His appearance much resembled that of the inhabitants of New South Wales; he had also marks raised upon the skin, and his face was blackened and hair ruddled as is sometimes practised by them. The hair was either close cropped, or naturally short; but it had not the appearance of being woolly. He acceded to our proposition of going to his hut; but finding from his devious route and frequent stoppages, that he sought to tire our patience, we left him delighted with the certain possession of his swan, and returned to the boat. This was the sole opportunity we had of communicating with any of the natives of Van Diemen's Land.

At one o'clock, when advanced five miles above the elbow, the ebb tide made; and the wind being unfavourable, we landed to dine. The general course of the river had been nearly south-west; but it there turned west-by-north. The width, found by extending a base line, was two hundred and thirty yards, and the depth, as it had generally been in the channel from Herdsman's Cove, was 3 fathoms; but in some parts there may not be more than 2, at low water.

We arrived on board the sloop in the evening, with fourteen swans, in time to get a short distance down the river, before the ebb tide had done running; and no place more convenient than Risdon Cove having offered itself, we anchored there next day, and proceeded to complete our water, and refit the sloop for returning to Port Jackson. The late rains had so much increased the stream at the head of the cove, that our labour was much abridged; and in the evening of Dec. 30, every thing was completed.

This cove is the highest part of the Derwent to which a ship can advance. There is no danger in proceeding thus far, except off Shoal Point, about two miles below, on the western shore; and on the opposite side, near the echoing cliffs, there are 12 to 17 fathoms. Above Risdon Cove the mud flats commence, and will stop any vessel which draws more than ten or twelve feet; although there be, in some places higher up, from 5 to 8 fathoms. Mount Direction, on the north side of Risdon Cove, forms two round heads which are distinguishable from the entrance of the river, bearing N. 16° W. from Cape Direction. The latitude observed under the mount, from the moon's meridian altitude, was 42° 48' 12" south; variation of the azimuth compass on the south side of the cove, 8° 28', and of the surveying theodolite 9° 15' east; but I found it alter one or two degrees in different places, both in Norfolk Bay and in the Derwent, owing to partial attractions in the land.*

[* Upon the top of Mount Table, the compass has since been found to vary as much as 20°, from one part of the mountain to another.]

In Risdon Cove the tide rises between four and five feet, which is more, by at least a foot, than it appeared to be at the entrance of the river. The time of high water is _about eight hours after_ the moon's passage over the meridian, or one hour later than in Adventure Bay.* In the narrow parts, above Sullivan Cove, the tides run with tolerable regularity, and with some degree of strength; but towards the entrance of the river, the water at the surface sometimes ran down twelve hours together, and at other times as much upwards, whilst the rise and fall by the shore were at the usual periods. These anomalies were probably occasioned by the wind, and seemed not to extend far below the surface; for I found a counter current at the bottom.

[* See Bligh's _Voyage to the South Seas_; page 53.]

The banks of the Derwent are not remarkably high, but the country in general may be termed mountainous. Mount Table, at the back of Sullivan Cove, is supposed to be three-quarters of a mile in height; nor do I think, from having seen it beyond the distance of thirty miles from the sloop's deck, that it can be much less. The publication of Mr. Bass' remarks upon the soil and productions of this part of Van Diemen's Land dispenses me from entering upon those subjects; it is sufficient to say, that the reports of them were so favourable as to induce the establishment of a colony on the banks of the Derwent, four years afterward; and that the discoveries which have since been made are marked in the chart.

1799.

The last day of December and the first of January were occupied in beating down to the entrance of the river.

Jan. 2. The wind blew strong from the south-east, with heavy rain; and finding no advantage could be made by beating in Storm Bay, we ran into D'Entrecasteaux's Channel, passed the large _North-west Port_, and anchored in Pruen Cove, in 4 fathoms. We landed, so soon as the rain cleared away, and found a small creek in which the water was fresh at a few hundred yards above where it falls into the cove. A tree had been felled on the bank, probably in 1793 or 4 by Mr. Hayes, who called this stream Amelia's River; but it would be very difficult to fill casks here, except when long continued rains should bring the fresh water to the entrance of the creek. The valley through which it comes from the westward, seemed to be of a rich, though damp soil.

On Jan. 3, having a breeze at north-west, we got under way at daylight; and after repassing the northern entrance of D'Entrecasteaux's Channel, steered across Storm Bay. At two clock I had the following bearings:

Tasman's Head. S. 37° W. Cape Frederik Henry, S. 71 W. Quoin Island, distant six miles, N. 28 W. Low point, distant 1¼ miles, N. 6 E. Cape Raoul,* distant 3 miles, S. 71 E.

[* This is the cape which, from its appearance, I had called by the descriptive name of _Cape Basaltes_; not knowing that D'Entrecasteaux, or any other navigator, had previously affixed an appellation. I give it up the more readily, because it is said these columns are not strictly basaltes.]

Cape Pillar opened round Cape Raoul at E. 5° N., and the distance run from one to the other was nine miles. These two high, columnar capes are the extreme points of the land which captain Furneaux took to be Maria's Island. Between them, the shore falls back about four miles, and forms a small bay at the head, where there appeared to be shelter against all winds except those from the southward; and perhaps from those also, for the water seemed to reach behind the inner western point. At five clock we passed Tasman's small, cliffy Island and Cape Pillar, and Maria's Island came in sight at N. 6° E. We then hauled up to keep close in with the shore to the northward; but the wind came in such violent puffs down those steep cliffs, that the necessity of steering further off frustrated my intention: the outer Hippolite Rock bore N. 56° W. three miles, at dusk.

Jan. 4. At daylight, Maria's Island appeared to be divided into two, Schouten's Island was visible, and the principal bearings taken were as follow:

Tasman's small Island, S. 24° W. A deep bight in the coast, S. 56 W. South head of Frederik Hendrik's Bay, S. 72 W. Maria's Island, south part, N. 64° to 43 W. north part, N. 39 to 19 W. Schouten's Island, North to N. 5 E.

The wind shifted to north at ten o'clock, and we tacked towards Maria's Island. At noon, the north-east extreme, a cock's-comb-like head, was distant four or five miles; but the islet lying off it, in Mr. Cox's chart, was not visible, nor yet the isthmus which connects the two parts of the island.

Observed latitude, 42° 41½' S. South head of Frederik Hendrik's Bay, S. 40 W. Maria's Island, south part, Clouded. --------------- north part, S. 82° to N. 64 W. Schouten's Island, dist. 4 leagues, N. 3 W. to 8 E.