1769. December,

we wore and stood to the S. E. And on thẹ next day at noon, Cape Maria Van Diemen bore Sunday 31. N. E. by N. diftant about five leagues. At seven in the evening, we tacked and ftood to the westward, with a moderate breeze at S. W. by S. and S. W. Mount Camel then bore N. 83 E. and the northermost land, or Cape Maria Van Diemen, N. by W.; we were now distant from the nearest land about three leagues, where we Had fomething more than forty fathom water; and it must be remarked, that Mount Camel, which when feen on the other fide did not feem to be more than one mile from the fea, seemed to be but little more when feen from this fide; which is a demonftration that the land here cannot be more than two or three miles broad, of from fea to fea.

1770

Monday 1.

At fix o'clock in the morning of January the January, 1ft, 1770, being New-year's Day, we tacked and stood to the eastward, the Three Kings bearing N. W. by N. At noon, we tacked again, and ftood to the westward, being in latitude 34° 37' S.; the Three Kings bearing N. W. by N. at the distance of ten or eleven leagues; and Cape Maria Van Diemen N. 31 E. diftant about four leagues and an half: in this fituation we had fifty-four fathom water.

During this part of our navigation two particulars are very remarkable; in latitude 35° S. and in the midft of fummer, I met with a gale of

1770.

January.

wind, which for its strength and continuance was fuch as I had scarcely ever been in before, and we were three weeks in getting ten leagues Monday to the westward, and five weeks in getting fifty leagues, for at this time it was fo long fince we paffed Cape Bret. During the gale, we were happily at a confiderable distance from the land, otherwife it is highly probable that we fhould never have returned to relate our adventures.

At five o'clock in the evening, having a fresh breeze to the weftward, we tacked and ftood to the fouthward at this time North Cape bore E N. and juft open of a point that lies three leagues W. by N. from it.

This Cape, as I have obferved before, is the northermost extremity of this country, and the eaftermost point of a peninfula, which runs out N. W. and N. W. by N. feventeen or eighteen leagues, and of which Cape Maria Van Diemen is the westermoft point. Cape Maria lies in latitude 34° 30' S. longitude 187° 18′ W.; and from this point the land trends away S. E. by S. and S. E. beyond Mount Camel, and is every where a barren fhore, confifting of banks of white fand.

On the 2d, at noon, we were in latitude 35° Tuesday 2. 17 S. and Cape Maria bore north, distant about fixteen leagues, as near as we could guefs; for we had no land in fight, and did not dare to go

1770. January.

nearer, as a fresh gale blew right on fhore, with a rolling fea. The wind continued at W. S. W. Tuesday 2. and S. W. with frequent fqualls; in the evening we shortened fail, and at midnight tacked, and

made a trip to the N. W. till two in the morn ing, when we wore and ftood to the fouthward. Wednef.3. At break of day, we made fail, and edged away, in order to make land; and at ten o'clock, we faw it, bearing N. W. It appeared to be high, and at noon extended from N. to E. N. E. dif tant by estimation eight or ten leagues. Cape Maria then bore N. 2° 30′ W. distant thirtythree leagues; our latitude by obfervation was 36° 2' S. About feven o'clock in the evening, we were within fix leagues of it; but having a fresh gale upon it, with a rolling fea, we hauled our wind to the S. E., and kept on that courfe clofe upon the wind all night, founding feveral times, but having no ground with one hundred, and one hundred and ten fathom.

Thurfd. 4.

1

At eight o'clock the next morning, we were about five leagues from the land, and off a place which lies in latitude 36° 25′, and had the appearance of a bay or inlet. It bore east ; and in order to see more of it, we kept on our course till eleven o'clock, when we were not more than three leagues from it, and then discovered that it was neither inlet nor bay, but a tract of low land, bounded by higher lands on each fide, which produced the deception. At this time, we

tacked

3

1770.

January.

tacked and ftood to the N. W.; and at noon, the land was not diftant more than three or four leagues. We were now in latitude 36° 31′ S. Thurid. 4. longitude 185° 50 W. Cape Maria bore N. 25 W. diftant forty-four leagues and an half; fo that the coaft must be almost straight in the direction of S. S. E. E. and N. N. W. W. nearly. In about latitude 35° 45′ is fome high land adjoining to the fea; to the fouthward of which the shore is also high, and has the most defolate and inhofpitable appearance that can be imagined. Nothing is to be feen but hills of fand, on which there is scarcely a blade of verdure, and a vaft fea, impelled by the wefterly winds, breaking upon it in a dreadful surf, renders it not only forlorn, but frightful; compli cating the idea of danger with defolation, and impreffing the mind at once with a sense of misery and death. From this place I fteered to the northward, refolving never more to come within. the fame distance of the coaft, except the wind fhould be very favourable indeed. I stood under a fresh fail all the day, hoping to get an offing by the next noon, and we made good a courfe of a hundred and two miles N. 38 W. Our latitude by obfervation was 35° 10' S.; and Cape Maria bore N. 10 E. diftance forty-one miles. In the night, the wind fhifted from S. W. by S. to S. and blew fresh. Our courfe

tq

1770. January.

Friday 5.

Saturday 6.

to the noon of the 5th was N. 75 W. distance eight miles.

At day-break on the 6th, we faw the land which we took to be Cape Maria, bearing N. N. Sunday 7. E. diftant eight or nine leagues and on the 7th, in the afternoon, the land bore east and some time after we discovered a turtle upon the water; but being awake, it dived inftantly, fo that we could not take it. At noon, the high land, which has just been mentioned, extended from N. to E. at the diftance of five or fix leagues; and in two places, a flat gave it the appearance of a bay or inlet. The course that we made good the laft four and twenty hours was S. 33 E. fifty-three miles; Cape Maria bearing N. 25 W. diftant thirty leagues.

We failed within fight of land all this day, with gentle gales between the N. E. and N. W.; Monday 8. and by the next noon had failed fixty-nine miles, in the direction of S. 37 E.; our latitude by obfervation was 36° 39'S. The land which on the 4th we had taken for a bay, now bore N. E. by N. diftant five leagues and an half; and Cape Maria N. 29 W. forty-feven leagues.

Tuesday 9.

On the 9th, we continued a fouth east course till eight o'clock in the evening, having run feven leagues fince noon, with the wind at N. N. E. and N. and being within three or four leagues of the land, which appeared to be low