A Voyage to Terra Australis. Matthew Flinders

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.

      We had squally weather in the afternoon, with the wind at north-west; and being unable to get near Maria's Island before the evening, bore away northward, having then a fresh breeze at W. S. W. Schouten's Island was passed within two miles at ten o'clock, and at eleven, a piece of land called Vanderlin's Island by Tasman, but which has since been found to be the southern extremity of a peninsula. We then steered north, to keep in with the coast; but the wind drawing forward in the morning of the 5th, the sloop was drifted off, by noon, to four or five leagues. The land then abreast rose in ranges of irregular, well-wooded hills; and behind them were two peaks and a flat-topped piece of land, seemingly not many leagues from the shore. The southernmost of the two peaks is the most elevated, and appears to be the high round mountain seen by Tasman on Dec 4 and 5, 1642; I have, therefore, called it Tasman's Peak. It is the northernmost part seen by him on this side of Van Diemen's Land, as Mount Heemskerk was on the west coast: the flat-topped mountain is that which colonel Paterson afterwards named Benlomen. To the southward, the land was visible at a great distance; and if Schouten's Island and the cape of the peninsula near it can possibly be seen so far as twenty leagues from the deck, it must have been them. My observation and bearings at this time were as follow:

      Latitude observed, 41° 27½' S.

      South extreme of the coast, S. 18 W.

      Another piece of land, like an island, S. 23 W.

      Tasman's Peak, S. 63 W.

      Northern extremity of the land, N. 32 W.

      It was to me a subject of regret, that the wind did not allow of keeping close in with this east coast, since captain Furneauxs examination was made at too great a distance to be exact; but my limited time of absence being expired, and provisions nearly out, nothing more could be attempted than what might be done in the way to Port Jackson.

      (Atlas, Plate VI.)

      Jan. 6, in latitude 40° 45½' no land was in sight; but on the 7th, when in 40° 24¾', the high land of Cape Barren was visible through a thick haze, bearing S. 76° W. five or six miles. The wind being then nearly at east, we steered to pass between Cape Barren and the great northern island, intending to explore the west side of the latter in our way. At five o'clock breakers were seen two miles to the north, though no bottom could be found at 17 fathoms; at six, however, we fell suddenly into 3 fathoms; but hoping to find a sufficient depth for the sloop round the island which lies in the opening, stood on till the soundings diminished to nine feet, and breakers were seen all round ahead, from beam to beam. It was then near sun-set, and the breeze right aft; but whilst I was considering what could be done for our safety, the wind shifted suddenly, as if by an act of Providence, to the opposite quarter, and enabled us to steer back, out of this dangerous place, with all sail. At nine o'clock the wind returned to the south-eastward, having just lasted long enough to take us out of danger; at eleven we had 20 fathoms; and in two hours more steered N. by W., for the Babel Isles, with a fresh and fair wind.

      Jan 8, at six o'clock, Mr. Bass went on shore to the small, south~ eastern islet; whence he brought a boat load of seals and gannets. Besides these, the islet is inhabited by geese, shags, penguins, gulls, and sooty petrels; each occupying its separate district, and using its own language. It was the confusion of noises amongst these various animals which induced me to give the name of Babel Isles to this small cluster.

      After taking on board our seals and gannets, we steered north-westward; and at one o'clock took a departure from the Sisters. I wished to make another effort to find the supposed Furneaux's Land, represented to lie north of these islands and in latitude 39°; but the wind being strong from the south-eastward, the course steered was N. by E. At eight o'clock we had passed the 39th degree; and no land being visible, the course was then altered to north-east, for Cape Howe.

      Jan. 9, the wind blew strong at S. S. E., with thick, hazy weather. At eight in the morning, high land was distinguished two points on the weather bow, and sand hills from thence to abaft the lee beam, not more than six or seven miles distant. We immediately hauled the wind to the eastward, and carried every sail the sloop could bear in such a sea as was then running. The land to windward was judged to be near the Ram Head; although our reckoning was 20' short in latitude, and we supposed ourselves to the eastward.

      To make certain of clearing Cape Howe, the eastern course was prolonged until day-light of the 10th; we then bore away, and at noon were in latitude 37° 5'. On the 11th, the observation gave 34° 30'; and the gale still continuing, we anchored within the heads of Port Jackson at ten o'clock the same evening, having exceeded, by no more than eleven days, the time which had been fixed for our return.

      To the strait which had been the great object of research, and whose discovery was now completed, governor Hunter gave, at my recommendation, the name of BASS' STRAIT. This was no more than a just tribute to my worthy friend and companion, for the extreme dangers and fatigues he had undergone in first entering it in the whale boat, and to the correct judgment he had formed from various indications, of the existence of a wide opening between Van Diemen's Land and New South Wales.

      FLINDERS. 1799.

      The success of this expedition favoured my views of further discovery; and the Reliance not being immediately wanted for service, His Excellency accepted a proposition to explore Glass-house and Hervey's Bays, two large openings to the northward, of which the entrances only were known. I had some hope of finding a considerable river discharging itself at one of these openings, and of being able by its means to penetrate further into the interior of the country than had hitherto been effected.

      The sloop Norfolk was again allotted to me, with nearly the same volunteer crew as before; and I was accompanied by Mr. S. W. Flinders, a midshipman of the Reliance, and by Bongaree, a native, whose good disposition and manly conduct had attracted my esteem. Of the assistance of my able friend Bass I was, however, deprived, he having quitted the station soon after our last voyage, to return to England. The time of my absence was limited by the governor to six weeks, some arrivals being then expected which might call the Reliance into active service.

      (Atlas, Plate VIII.)

      We sailed out of Port Jackson on July 8; and next morning came in with a part of the coast, north of Port Stephens, which captain Cook had passed in the night.* Off a projection which I called Sugar-loaf Point, in latitude 32° 29', lie two rocks to the south-eastward, at the distances of two and four miles. We passed between these rocks and the point, and kept close in with the shore as far to the north as the hills called Three Brothers by captain Cook, of which the northernmost and highest lies in latitude 31° 43' south.

      [* The journal of this expedition, delivered to governor Hunter on my return, having been published in great part by colonel Collins, the account here given will be brief, and almost wholly confined to nautical subjects. The reader who desires more information upon the lands visited, and upon their productions and inhabitants, is referred to the Account of the English Colony in New South Wales, Vol II. page 225 to 263.]

      (Atlas, Plate