Chapter 37

A prospect of liberty, which is officially confirmed. Occurrences during eleven weeks residence in the town of Port Louis and on board the Harriet cartel. Parole and certificates. Departure from Port Louis, and embarkation in the Otter. Eulogium on the inhabitants of Mauritius. Review of the conduct of general De Caen. Passage to the Cape of Good Hope, and after seven weeks stay, from thence to England. Conclusion.

APPENDIX.

No. I.

Account of the observations by which the _Longitudes_ of places on the east and north coasts of Terra Australis have been settled.

No. II.

On the errors of the compass arising from attractions within the ship, and others from the magnetism of land; with precautions for obviating their effects in marine surveying.

No. III.

General Remarks, geographical and systematical, on the Botany of Terra Australis. By ROBERT BROWN, F. R. S. _Acad. Reg. Scient. Berolin. Corresp._ NATURALIST TO THE VOYAGE.

A LIST OF THE PLATES, WITH DIRECTIONS TO THE BINDER.

IN VOLUME I.

View from the south side of King George's Sound. Entrance of Port Lincoln, taken from behind Memory Cove. View on the north side of Kangaroo Island. View of Port Jackson, taken from the South Head.

IN VOLUME II.

View of Port Bowen, from behind the Watering Gully. View of Murray's Islands, with the natives offering to barter. View in Sir Edward Pellew's Group--Gulph of Carpentaria. View of Malay Road, from Pobassoo's Island. View of Wreck-Reef Bank, taken at low water.

IN THE ATLAS.

Plate.

I. General Chart of TERRA AUSTRALIS and the neighbouring lands, from latitude 7° to 44½° south, and longitude 102° to 165° east.

II. Particular chart of the South Coast, from Cape Leeuwin to the Archipelago of the Recherche.

III. Ditto from the Archipelago of the Recherche to past the head of the great Australian Bight.

IV. Ditto from the head of the great Australian Bight to past Encounter Bay.

V. Ditto from near Encounter Bay to Cape Otway at the west entrance of Bass' Strait.

VI. Ditto from Cape Otway, past Cape Howe, to Barmouth Creek.

VII. Particular chart of Van Diemen's Land.

VIII. Particular chart of the East Coast, from Barmouth Creek to past Cape Hawke.

IX. Ditto from near Cape Hawke to past Glass-house Bay.

X. Ditto from Glass-house Bay to Broad Sound.

XI. Ditto from Broad Sound to Cape Grafton.

XII. Ditto from Cape Grafton to the Isle of Direction.

XIII. Particular chart of the East Coast from the I. of Direction to Cape York, and of the North Coast from thence to Pera Head; including Torres Strait and parts of New Guinea.

XIV. A particular chart of the North Coast, from Torres' Strait to Point Dale and the Wessel's Islands, including the whole of the Gulph of Carpentaria.

XV. The north-west side of the Gulph of Carpentaria, on a large scale.

XVI. Particular chart of Timor and some neighbouring islands.

XVII. Fourteen views of headlands, etc. on the south coast of Terra Australis.

XVIII. Thirteen views on the east and north coasts, and one of Samow Strait.

AND

Ten plates of selected plants from different parts of Terra Australis.

THE READER IS REQUESTED TO CORRECT THE FOLLOWING ERRATA.

[Errors have been corrected in this ebook]

INTRODUCTION.

The voyages which had been made, during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, by Dutch and by English navigators, had successively brought to light various extensive coasts in the southern hemisphere, which were thought to be united; and to comprise a land, which must be nearly equal in magnitude to the whole of Europe. To this land, though known to be separated from all other great portions of the globe, geographers were disposed to give the appellation of Continent: but doubts still existed, of the continuity of its widely extended shores; and it was urged, that, as our knowledge of some parts was not founded upon well authenticated information, and we were in total ignorance of some others, these coasts might, instead of forming one great land, be no other than parts of different large islands.

The establishment, in 1788, of a British colony on the easternmost, and last discovered, of these new regions, had added that degree of interest to the question of their continuity, which a mother country takes in favour, even, of her outcast children, to know the form, extent, and general nature of the land, where they may be placed. The question had, therefore, ceased to be one in which geography was alone concerned: it claimed the paternal consideration of the father of all his people, and the interests of the national commerce seconded the call for investigation.

Accordingly, the following voyage was undertaken by command of HIS MAJESTY, in the year 1801; in a ship of 334 tons, which received the appropriate name of the INVESTIGATOR; and, besides great objects of clearing up the doubt respecting the unity of these southern regions, and of opening therein fresh sources to commerce, and new ports to seamen, it was intended, that the voyage should contribute to the advancement of natural knowledge in various branches; and that some parts of the neighbouring seas should he visited, wherein geography and navigation had still much to desire.

The vast regions to which this voyage was principally directed, comprehend, in the western part, the early discoveries of the Dutch, under the name of NEW HOLLAND; and in the east, the coasts explored by British navigators, and named NEW SOUTH WALES. It has not, however, been unusual to apply the first appellation to both regions; but to continue this, would be almost as great an injustice to the British nation, whose seamen have had so large a share in the discovery, as it would be to the Dutch, were New South Wales to be so extended. This appears to have been felt by a neighbouring, and even rival, nation; whose writers commonly speak of these countries under the general term of _Terres Australes_. In fact, the original name, used by the Dutch themselves until some time after Tasman's second voyage, in 1644, was _Terra Australis_, or _Great South Land_; and when it was displaced by New Holland, the new term was applied only to the parts lying _westward_ of a meridian line, passing through Arnhem's Land on the north., and near the isles of St. Francis and St. Peter, on the south: all to the eastward, including the shores of the Gulph of Carpentaria, still remained as Terra Australis. This appears from a chart published by THEVENOT, in 1663; which, he says, "was originally taken from that done in inlaid work, upon the pavement of the new Stadt-House at Amsterdam." * The same thing is to be inferred from the notes of Burgomaster WITSEN, in 1705; of which there will be occasion to speak in the sequel.

[* "La carte que l'on a mise icy, tire sa première origine de celle que l'on a fait tailler de piéces rapportées, sur le pavé de la nouvelle Maison-de-Ville d'Amsterdam." _Rélations de divers Voyages curieux._--Avis.]

It is necessary, however, to geographical precision, that so soon as New Holland and New South Wales were known to form one land, there should be a general name applicable to the whole; and this essential point having been ascertained in the present voyage, with a degree of certainty sufficient to authorise the measure, I have, with the concurrence of opinions entitled to deference, ventured upon the re-adoption of the _original_ TERRA AUSTRALIS; and of this term I shall hereafter make use, when speaking of New Holland and New South Wales, in a collective sense; and when using it in the most extensive signification, the adjacent isles, including that of Van Diemen, must be understood to be comprehended.

There is no probability, that any other detached body of land, of nearly equal extent, will ever be found in a more southern latitude; the name Terra Australis will, therefore, remain descriptive of the geographical importance of this country, and of its situation on the globe: it has antiquity to recommend it; and, having no reference to either of the two claiming nations, appears to be less objectionable than any other which could have been selected.*

[* Had I permitted myself any innovation upon the original term, it would have been to convert it into AUSTRALIA; as being more agreeable to the ear, and an assimilation to the names of the other great portions of the earth.]

In dividing New South Wales from New Holland, I have been guided by the British patent to the first governor of the new colony, at Port Jackson. In this patent, a meridian, nearly corresponding to the ancient line of separation, between New Holland and Terra Australis, has been made the western limit of New South Wales; and is fixed at the longitude of 135° east, from the meridian of Greenwich. From hence, the British territory extends eastward, to the islands of the _Pacific_, or _Great Ocean_: its northern limit is at _Cape York_; and the extremity of the southern _Van Diemen's Land_, is its opposite boundary.

The various discoveries which had been made upon the coasts of Terra Australis, antecedently to the present voyage, are of dates as widely distant, as are the degrees of confidence to which they are respectively entitled; the accounts, also, lie scattered through various books in different languages; and many are still in manuscript. It has, therefore, been judged, that a succinct history of these discoveries would be acceptable to the public; and would form an appropriate introduction to a voyage, whose principal object was to complete what they had left unfinished. Such a history will not only, it is hoped, be found interesting, but, from the occasions it will furnish to point out what remained to be done at the beginning of the nineteenth century, will satisfy a question which may be asked: Why it should have been thought necessary to send another expedition to explore the coasts of a country, concerning which it has been said, near thirty years ago--"It is no longer a doubt, that we have now a full knowledge of the whole circumference of this vast body of land, this fifth part of the world." * An expression, which the learned writer could have intended to apply only to the general extent of the new continent, and not to the particular formation of every part of the coasts; since the chart, which accompanies the voyage of which he was writing the introduction, represents much of the south coast, as being totally unknown.

[* _Cook's third Voyage_, Introduction. p. xv.]

In tracing a historical sketch of the previous discoveries, I shall not dwell upon such as depend upon conjecture and probability, but come speedily to those, for which there are authentic documents. In this latter, and solely important, class, the articles extracted from voyages, which are in the hands of the public, will be abridged to their leading heads; and the reader referred, for the details, to the original works; but in such articles as have either not appeared before, or but very imperfectly, in an English dress, as also in those extracted from unpublished manuscripts, a wider range will be taken: in these, so far as the documents go, on the one hand, and the limits of an introduction can allow, on the other, no interesting fact will be omitted.

Conformably to this plan, no attempt will be made to investigate the claims of the _Chinese_ to the earliest knowledge of Terra Australis; which some, from the chart of _Marco Polo_, have thought they possessed. Nor yet will much be said upon the plea advanced by the Abbé PRÉVOST,* and after him by the President DEBROSSES,** in favour of _Paulmier de Gonneville_, a French captain; for whom they claim the honour of having discovered Terra Australis, in 1504. It is evident from the proofs they adduce, that it was not to any part of this country, but to Madagascar, that Gonneville was driven; and from whence he brought his prince Essomeric, to Normandy.

[* _Histoire générale des Voyages_. Tome XVI. (à la Haye) p. 7-14.]

[** _Histoire des Navigations aux Terres Australes_. Tome I. p. 102-120.]

Within these few years, however, two curious manuscript charts have been brought to light; which have favoured an opinion, that Terra Australis had really been visited by Europeans, nearly a century before any authentic accounts speak of its discovery. One of these charts is in French, without date; and from its almost exact similitude, is probably either the original, or a copy of the other, which is in English; and bears, with the date 1542, a dedication to the KING OF ENGLAND.* In it, an extensive country is marked to the southward of the Moluccas, under the name of GREAT JAVA; which agrees nearer with the position and extent of Terra Australis, than with any other land; and the direction given to some parts of the coast, approaches too near to the truth, for the whole to have been marked from conjecture alone. But, combining this with the exaggerated extent of Great Java in a southern direction, and the animals and houses painted upon the shores, such as have not been any where seen in Terra Australis, it should appear to have been partly formed from vague information, collected, probably, by the early Portuguese navigators, from the eastern nations; and that conjecture has done the rest. It may, at the same time, be admitted, that a part of the west and north-west coasts, where the coincidence of form is most striking, might have been seen by the Portuguese themselves, before the year 1540, in their voyages to, and from, India.

[* A more particular account of these charts, now in the _British Museum_, will be found in Captain Burney's "_History of Discoveries in the South Sea_." Vol. I. p. 379-383. An opinion is there expressed concerning the early discoveries in these regions, which is entitled to respectful attention.]

But quitting those claims to original discovery, in which conjecture bears so large a share, we come to such as are supported by undeniable documents. Before entering upon these, it is proper to premise, that, instead of following precisely the order of time, these discoveries will be classed under the heads of the different coasts upon which they were made: an arrangement which will obviate the confusion that would arise from being carried back from one coast to another, as must, of necessity, be the case, were the chronological order to be strictly followed.

The discoveries made in Terra Australis, _prior to the Investigator's voyage_, will, therefore, be divided into four Sections, under the following heads: 1. The NORTH COAST; 2. The WESTERN COASTS; 3. The SOUTH COAST; and, 4. The EAST COAST with VAN DIEMEN'S LAND. But the articles in the fourth Section, being numerous and more extensive, will be divided into two parts: PART I. will contain the early discoveries, and such of the later, as were made independently of the British colony in New South Wales; and PART II. those which were made in vessels sent from that colony; and which may be considered as a consequence of its establishment.

PRIOR DISCOVERIES IN TERRA AUSTRALIS.

SECTION I.

NORTH COAST.

Preliminary Remarks: Discoveries of the Duyfhen; of Torres; Carstens; Pool; Pietersen; Tasman; and of three Dutch vessels. Of Cook; M'Cluer; Bligh; Edwards; Bligh and Portlock; and Bampton and Alt. Conclusive Remarks.

PRELIMINARY REMARKS

The late Hydrographer to the Admiralty, ALEXANDER DALRYMPLE, Esq., in his curious _Collection concerning_ PAPUA, published, with a translation, a paper which furnishes more regular and authentic accounts of the early Dutch discoveries in the East, than any thing with which the public was before acquainted. This interesting paper was procured by the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks; and is a copy of the instructions to commodore ABEL JANSZ TASMAN, for his _second_ voyage of discovery: It is dated January 29, 1644, from the _Castle of Batavia_, and signed by the governor-general ANTONIO VAN DIEMEN, and by _Vander Lyn_, _Maatsuyker_, _Schouten_, and _Sweers_, members of the council. The instructions are prefaced with a recital, in chronological order, of the previous discoveries of the Dutch, whether made from accident or design, in NOVA GUINEA, and the _Great_ SOUTH LAND; and from this account, combined with a passage from Saris,* it appears, that--

THE DUYFHEN. 1606.

On the 18th of November 1605, the Dutch yacht, the _Duyfhen_, was dispatched from Bantam to explore the islands of New Guinea; and that she sailed along, what was thought to be, the west side of that country, to 13¾° of south latitude. "This extensive country was found, for the greatest part, desert; but, in some places, inhabited by wild, cruel, black savages; by whom some of the crew were murdered. For which reason they could not learn anything of the land, or waters, as had been desired of them; and, from want of provisions and other necessaries, they were obliged to leave the discovery unfinished: The furthest point of the land, in their map, was called Cape KEER-WEER," or Turn-again.

(ATLAS, Pl. I.)

The course of the Duyfhen, from New Guinea, was southward, along the islands on the west side of Torres' Strait, to that part of Terra Australis, a little to the west and south of Cape York; but all these lands were thought to be connected, and to form the west coast of New Guinea. Thus, without being conscious of it, the commander of the Duyfhen made the first authenticated discovery of any part of the great South Land, about the month of March 1606; for it appears, that he had returned to Banda in, or before, the beginning of June, of that year.

TORRES 1606

LUIS VAES DE TORRES, a Spanish navigator, was the next person who saw Terra Australis; and it is remarkable, that it was near the same place, and in the same year; and that he had as little knowledge of the nature of his discovery, as had the Duyfhen.

Torres was second in command to Pedro Fernandez de Quiros; when he sailed with three vessels, from the port of Callao in Peru, in the year 1605. One of the purposes of their expedition was to search for the TIERRA AUSTRAL; a continent which was supposed to occupy a considerable portion of that part of the southern hemisphere lying westward of America.

After the discovery of several islands, Quiros came to a land which he named AUSTRALIA DEL ESPIRITU SANTO, supposing it to be a part of the great Southern Continent; but this, on his separation from the admiral, Torres found could be no other than an island; and then continued his course westward, in prosecution of the research.

About the month of August 1606, and in latitude 11½° south, he fell in with a coast, which he calls "the beginning of New Guinea;" and which appears to have been the south-eastern part of the land, afterwards named Louisiade, by Mons. DE BOUGAINVILLE, and now known to be a chain of islands. Unable to pass to windward of this land, Torres bore away along its south side; and gives, himself, the following account of his subsequent proceedings.

"We went along 300 leagues of coast, as I have mentioned, and diminished the latitude 2½°, which brought us into 9°. From hence we fell in with a bank of from 3 to 9 fathoms, which extends along the coast above 180 leagues. We went over it along the coast to 7½ S. latitude, and the end of it is in 5°. We could not go further on for the many shoals and great currents, so we were obliged to sail S. W. in that depth to 11°. S. latitude. There is all over it an archipelago of islands without number, by which we passed, and at the end of the 11th degree, the bank became shoaler. Here were very large islands, and there appeared more to the southward: they were inhabited by black people, very corpulent, and naked: their arms were lances, arrows, and clubs of stone ill fashioned. We could not get any of their arms. We caught in all this land 20 persons of different nations, that with them we might be able to give a better account to Your Majesty. They give much notice of other people, although as yet they do not make themselves well understood.

"We were upon this bank two months, at the end of which time we found ourselves in 25 fathoms, and in 5° S. latitude, and 10 leagues from the coast. And having gone 480 leagues, here the coast goes to the N. E. I did not reach it, for the bank became very shallow. So we stood to the north." *

[* See the letter of Torres, dated Manila, July 12, 1607, in Vol. II. Appendix, No I. to Burney's "_History of Discoveries in the South Sea_;" from which interesting work this sketch of Torres' voyage is extracted.]

It cannot be doubted, that the "very large islands" seen by Torres, at the 11th degree of south latitude, were the hills of Cape York; or that his _two months_ of intricate navigation were employed in passing the strait which divides Terra Australis and New Guinea. But the account of this and other discoveries, which Torres himself addressed to the King of Spain, was so kept from the world, that the existence of such a strait was generally unknown, until 1770; when it was again discovered and passed by our great circumnavigator Captain Cook.

Torres, it should appear, took the precaution to lodge a copy of his letter in the archives of Manila; for, after that city was taken by the British forces, in 1762, Mr. Dalrymple found out, and drew from oblivion, this interesting document of early discovery; and, as a tribute due to the enterprising Spanish navigator, he named the passage TORRES' STRAIT; and the appellation now generally prevails.

ZEACHEN. 1618.

ZEACHEN is said to have discovered the land of Arnhem and the northern Van Diemen's Land, in 1618; and he is supposed, from the first name, to have been a native of Arnhem, in Holland; and that the second was given in honour of the governor-general of the Indies.* But there are two important objections to the truth of this vague account: first, no mention is made of Zeachen in the recital of discoveries which preface the instructions to Tasman; nor is there any, of the North Coast having been visited by the Dutch, in that year: secondly, it appears from _Valentyn's_ lives of the governors of Batavia, that Van Diemen was not governor-general until January 1, 1636.

[* _Hist. des Navigations aux Terres Aust._ Tome 1. p. 432.]

CARSTENS. 1623.

The second expedition, mentioned in the Dutch recital, for the discovery of the Great South Land, "was undertaken in a yacht, in the year 1617, with little success;" and the journals and remarks were not to be found. In January 1623, the yachts _Pera_ and _Arnhem_, under the command of JAN CARSTENS, were despatched from _Amboina_, by order of His Excellency Jan Pieterz Coen. Carstens, with eight of the Arnhem's crew, was treacherously murdered by the natives of New Guinea; but the vessels prosecuted the voyage, and _discovered_ "the great islands ARNHEM and the SPULT." * They were then "untimely separated," and the Arnhem returned to Amboina. The Pera persisted; and "sailed along the south coast of New Guinea, to a flat cove, situate in 10° south latitude; and ran along the West Coast of this land to Cape Keer-Weer; from thence discovered the coast further southward, as far as 17°, to STATEN RIVER. From this place, what more of the land could be discerned, seemed to stretch _westward_:" the Pera then returned to Amboina. "In this discovery were found, every where, shallow water and barren coasts; islands altogether thinly peopled by divers cruel, poor, and brutal nations; and of very little use to the (Dutch East-India) Company."

[* In the old charts, a river Spult is marked, in the western part of Arnhem's Land; and it seems probable, that the land in its vicinity is here meant by THE SPULT.]

POOL. PIETERSEN. 1636.

GERRIT TOMAZ POOL was sent, in April 1636, from _Banda_, with the yachts _Klyn Amsterdam_ and _Wezel_, upon the same expedition as Carstens; and, at the same place, on the coast of New Guinea, he met with the same fate. Nevertheless "the voyage was assiduously continued under the charge of the supra-cargo Pieterz Pietersen; and the islands _Key_ and _Arouw_ visited. By reason of very strong eastwardly winds, they could not reach the west coast of New Guinea (Carpentaria); but shaping their course very near south, discovered the coast of Arnhem, or Van Diemen's Land, in 11° south latitude; and sailed along the shore for 120 miles (30 mijlen), without seeing any people, _but many signs of smoke_."

TASMAN. 1644.

This is all that appears to have been known of the North Coast, when ABEL JANSZ TASMAN sailed upon his second voyage, in 1644; for the instructions to him say, that after quitting "Point Ture, or False Cape, situate in 8° on the south coast of New Guinea, you are to continue eastward, along the coast, to 9° south latitude; crossing prudently the _Cove_ at that place. Looking about the _high islands_ or _Speult's River_, with the yachts, for a harbour; despatching the tender _De Braak_, for two or three days into the Cove, in order to discover whether, within the GREAT INLET, there be not to be found an entrance into the South Sea.* From this place you are to coast along the west coast of New Guinea. (Carpentaria,) to the furthest discoveries in 17° south latitude; following the coast further, as it may run, west or southward."

[* The Great Inlet or Cove, where the passage was to be sought, is the north-west part of Torres' Strait. It is evident, that a suspicion was entertained, in 1644, of such a strait; but that the Dutch were ignorant of its having been passed. The "high islands" are those which lie in latitude 10°, on the west side of the strait. Speult's River appears to be the opening betwixt the Prince of Wales' Islands and Cape York; through which captain Cook afterwards passed, and named it Endeavour's Strait. This _Speult's River_ cannot, I conceive, be the same with what was before mentioned under the name of THE SPULT.]

"But it is to be feared you will meet, in these parts, with the south-east trade winds; from which it will be difficult to keep the coast on board, if stretching to the south-east; but, notwithstanding this, endeavour by all means to proceed; that we may be sure whether this land is divided from the _Great Known_ SOUTH CONTINENT, or not."

The Dutch had, by this time, acquired some knowledge of a part of the south coast of Terra Australis; of the west coast; and of a part of the north-west; and these are the lands meant by "the Great Known South Continent." Arnhem's, and the northern Van Diemen's Lands, on the North Coast, are not included in the expression; for Tasman was directed "from _De Witt's Land_ (on the North-west Coast,) to run across, very near eastward, to complete the discovery of _Arnhem's_ and _Van Diemen's Lands_; and to ascertain perfectly, whether these lands are not _one and the same island_."

It is a great obstacle to tracing correctly the progress of early discovery in Terra Australis, that no account of this voyage of Tasman has ever been published; nor is any such known to exist. But it seems to have been the general opinion, that he sailed round the _Gulph of Carpentaria_; and then westward, along _Arnhem's_ and the northern _Van Diemen's Lands_; and the form of these coasts in Thevenot's chart of 1663, and in those of most succeeding geographers, even up to the end of the eighteenth century, is supposed to have resulted from this voyage. The opinion is strengthened by finding the names of Tasman, and of the governor-general and two of the council, who signed his instructions, applied to places at the head of the Gulph; as is also that of _Maria_, the daughter of the governor, to whom our navigator is said to have been attached. In the notes, also, of Burgomaster Witsen, concerning the inhabitants of NOVA GUINEA and HOLLANDIA NOVA, as extracted by Mr. Dalrymple; Tasman is mentioned amongst those, from whom his information was drawn.

THREE DUTCH VESSELS. 1705.

The President De Brosses* gives, from the miscellaneous tracts of _Nicolas Struyck_, printed at Amsterdam, 1753, the following account of another, and last voyage of the Dutch, for the discovery of the North Coast.

[* _Hist. des Nav. aux Terres Aust_. Tome I. page 439.]

"March 1, 1705, three Dutch vessels were sent from _Timor_, with order to explore the north coast of _New Holland_, better than it had before been done. They carefully examined the coasts, sand banks, and reefs. In their route to it, they did not meet with any land, but only some rocks above water, in 11° 52' south latitude:" (probably the south part of the great _Sahul Bank_; which, according to captain Peter Heywood, who saw it in 180l, lies in 11° 40'.) "They saw the west coast of New Holland 4° to the eastward of the east point of Timor. From thence they continued their route towards the north; and passed a point, off which lies a bank of sand above water, in length _more than five German miles_ of fifteen to a degree. After which, they made sail to the east, along the coast of New Holland; observing every thing with care, until they came to a gulph, the head of which they did not quite reach. I (Struyck) have seen a chart made of these parts."

What is here called the _West_, must have been the North-west Coast; which the vessels appear to have made somewhat to the south of the western _Cape Van Diemen_. The point which they passed, was probably this same Cape itself; and in a chart, published by Mr. Dalrymple, Aug. 27, 1783, from a Dutch manuscript (possibly a copy of that which Struyck had seen), a shoal, of _thirty geographic miles_ in length, is marked as running off, from it; but incorrectly, according to Mr. Mc. Cluer. The gulph here mentioned, was probably a deep bay in Arnhem's Land; for had it been the Gulph of Carpentaria, some particular mention of the great change in the direction of the coast, would, doubtless, have been made.

From this imperfect account of the voyage of these three vessels, very little satisfactory information is obtained; and this, with some few exceptions, is the case with all the accounts of the early Dutch discoveries; and has usually been attributed to the monopolizing spirit of their East-India Company, which induced it to keep secret, or to destroy, the journals.

COOK. 1770.

The north coast of Terra Australis does not appear to have been seen by any succeeding navigator, until the year 1770; when our celebrated captain JAMES COOK passed through _Endeavour's Strait_, between Cape York and the Prince of Wales' Islands; and besides clearing up the doubt which, till then, existed, of the actual separation of Terra Australis from New Guinea, his more accurate observations enabled geographers to assign something like a true place to the former discoveries of the Dutch, in these parts. Captain Cook did not land upon the main; but, at _Possession Island_, he saw ten natives: "Nine of them were armed with such lances as we had been accustomed to see, and the tenth had a _bow_, and a bundle of _arrows_, which we had never seen in the possession of the natives of this country before." *

[* _Hawkesworth's Voyages_, Vol. III. page 211.]

Mc. CLUER. 1791.

At the end of the year 1791, lieutenant JOHN Mc. CLUER of the Bombay marine, in returning from the examination of the west side of New Guinea, made the Land of _Arnhem_, in longitude 135¼°, east of Greenwich. He then sailed westward, along the shore, to 129° 55'; when the coast was found to take a southern direction. The point of turning is placed in 11° 15' south latitude; and is, doubtless, the Cape Van Diemen of the old charts, and the west extremity of the north coast of Terra Australis.

It does not appear that any other account has been given of this navigation, than the chart published by Mr. Dalrymple, in 1792. According to it, though lieutenant Mc. Cluer constantly had soundings, in from 7 to 40 fathoms; yet he was generally at such a distance from the land, that it was not often seen; and, consequently, he was unable to identify the particular points. No landing seems to have been effected upon the main; but some service was rendered to navigation, by ascertaining the positions of several small islands, shoals, and projecting parts of the coast; and in conferring a certain degree of authenticity upon the discoveries of the early Dutch navigators.

Lieutenant Mc. Cluer is the last person, who can strictly be said to have added to our knowledge of the north coast of Terra Australis, previously to the time in which the voyage of the Investigator was planned; but several navigators had followed captain Cook through Torres' Strait, and by considerably different routes: these it will be proper to notice; as their discoveries are intimately connected with the present subject.

BLIGH. 1789.

After the mutineers of the _Bounty_ had forced their commander, lieutenant (now rear-admiral) WILLIAM BLIGH, to embark in the _launch_, near the island _Tofoa_; he steered for Coepang, a Dutch settlement, at the south-west end of _Timor_. In the way, he made the east coast of New South Wales, in about 12½° of South latitude; and, sailing northward, passed round Cape York and the Prince of Wales' Islands.

It was not to be supposed, that captain Bligh, under the circumstances of extreme distress, of fatigue, and difficulty of every kind, could do much for navigation and geography; yet, he took views and made such observations and notes, as enabled him to construct a chart of his track, and of the lands and reefs seen from the launch. And as captain Bligh passed to the _north_ of the Prince of Wales' Islands, whereas captain Cook had passed to the south, his interesting narrative, with the accompanying chart, made an useful addition to what little was yet known of Torres'Strait.*

[* Bligh's "_Voyage to the South Seas in H. M. Ship Bounty_," page 218-221.]

EDWARDS. 1791.

CAPTAIN (now admiral) EDWARD EDWARDS of HIS Majesty's frigate _Pandora_, on his return from the island Taheity,* made the reefs of Torres' Strait, on Aug. 25; in about the latitude 10° south, and _two degrees_ of longitude to the east of Cape York. Steering from thence westward, he fell in with three islands, rather high, which he named MURRAY'S; lying in latitude 9° 57' south, and longitude 143° 42' east;** and some canoes, with two masts, were seen running within side of the reef which lay between the islands and the ship. This reef was of considerable extent; and, during the whole of August 26, captain Edwards ran along it to the southward, without finding any passage through. On the 27th, the search was continued, without success; but on the 28th, a boat was despatched to examine an opening in the reef; and the ship stood off and on, waiting the result. At five in the evening, the boat made a signal for a passage being found; but fearing to venture through, so near sunset, without more particular information, captain Edwards called the boat on board. In the mean time, a current, or tide, set the Pandora upon the reef; and, after beating there till ten o'clock, she went over it into deep water; and sunk in 15 fathoms, at daylight of the 29th.

[* Commonly written _Otaheite_; but the 0 is either an article or a preposition, and forms no part of the name: Bougainville writes it Taïti.]

[** In Plates I. and XIII. Murray's Islands are laid down according to their situations afterwards ascertained in the Investigator; and the reefs, seen by the Pandora, are placed in their relative positions to those islands.]

A dry sand bank was perceived within the opening, at the distance of four miles; and thither the boats repaired with the remaining officers and people; thirty-nine men having lost their lives in this melancholy disaster. This opening was ascertained to lie in latitude 11° 24' and longitude 143° 38'; and is represented as very practicable for ships.

Not being able to save any thing from the wreck, captain Edwards, almost destitute of provisions and water, set sail on Aug. 30, with his squadron of four boats; and steered for the north-east part of Terra Australis. No reefs, or other dangers, appear to have been encountered in the way to the coast; but in the course northward, along it, some islands and reefs were seen. From one part of the coast, two canoes with three black men in each, paddled hard after the boats; but though they waved and made many signs, it was not thought prudent to wait for them. At one of the York Isles, the natives, for some trifling presents, filled a keg of water for captain Edwards; but refused to bring down any more; and, soon afterward, they let fly a shower of arrows amongst the unfortunate sufferers. Happily no person was wounded; and the aggressors were put to flight, by a volley of musketry.

At the Prince of Wales' Islands, good water was found; and much alleviated the distress of captain Edwards and his people. They heard here the howling of wolves, (probably of wild dogs,) and "discovered a _morai_, or rather heap of bones. There were amongst them two human skulls, the bones of some large animals, and some turtle bones. They were heaped together in the form of a grave; and a long paddle, supported at each end by a bifurcated branch of a tree, was laid horizontally along it. Near to this, there were marks of a fire having been recently made; and the ground about was much footed and worn." *

[* See "_A Voyage round the World in H. M. frigate Pandora_," by George Hamilton, Surgeon; page 123, _et seq._]

A few small oysters, a harsh austere fruit, resembling a plum, and a small berry of a similar taste to the plum, were all that could be found for food.

"There is a large sound formed here, to which," says Mr. Hamilton, "we gave the name of _Sandwich's Sound_; and commodious anchorage for shipping in the bay, to which we gave the name of _Woy's Bay_, in which there is from five to seven fathoms all round. Near the centre of the sound is a small, dark-coloured, rocky island."

Sept. 2. In the afternoon, captain Edwards passed out to the northward, with his little squadron, from amongst the Prince of Wales' Islands; and the same evening, by steering westward, cleared all the islands and reefs of Torres' Strait: on the 14th he reached Timor.

The track and discoveries of the Pandora, in Plate XIII. are taken from a chart published in 1798, by Mr. Dalrymple, upon the authority of one constructed by lieutenant Hayward; but it does not contain the track of the boats after the loss of the Pandora. This chart, and the account given by Mr. Hamilton, which, though more than sufficiently explicit upon some points, is very defective in what concerns navigation and geography; are all that appears to have been published of this voyage.

BLIGH and PORTLOCK. 1792.

Neither the great extent of the reefs, to the eastward of Cape York, nor the loss of the Pandora, were known in 1792; when captain WILLIAm BLIGH came a second time to Torres' Strait, with His Majesty's ship _Providence_, and the brig _Assistant_ commanded by lieutenant (now captain) NATHANIEL PORTLOCK. The objects of his mission were, to transport the bread-fruit plant from Taheity to the West Indies; and, in his way, to explore a new passage through the Strait; in both of which he was successful.

A chart of the discoveries made in Torres' Strait, was lodged, by captain Bligh, in the Admiralty Office; and is incorporated with other authorities, in Plate XIII. of the accompanying Atlas. No account of this voyage having yet been published; it is conceived, that the following brief relation of the passage through the strait, will be acceptable to the nautical reader; and, having had the honour to serve in the expedition, I am enabled to give it from my own journal, with the sanction of captain Bligh.

Aug. 31. Latitude at noon 9° 25' south; longitude from fifteen sets of distances of the sun west, and star east, of the moon, taken on the 24th, 25th, and 26th, preceding, 145° 22' and by time keepers, 145° 23' east. No land seen since passing _Louisiade_ the preceding day; but many birds and fish, and much rock weed. At dusk, having steered W. ¼ S. 27 miles, breakers were seen ahead, at the distance of two miles; and the vessels hauled to the wind: no bottom at 94 fathoms.

Sept. 1. They bore away W. by S.; but hauled up gradually to South, on account of the breakers; and not being able to weather them, tacked to the N. E. At noon, latitude 9° 37' south, longitude by time keepers, 144° 59' east:* part of the reef, which was named after captain Portlock, seen in the N. N. W. from the mast head. At four o'clock, the vessels edged away round the north end of _Portlock's Reef_, which, at dusk, bore South, about two leagues; and the wind was then hauled for the night.

[* In Plate XIII. some small alterations are made in the longitudes given by captain Bligh's time keepers, to make them correspond with the corrected longitudes of the Investigator and Cumberland.]

Sept. 2. The breakers bore South, four or five miles; and captain Bligh steered westward: the Assistant leading. At noon, the latitude being 9° 26', longitude, by time keepers, 144° 23', other breakers were seen ahead, and the vessels hauled the wind to the southward; but finding another reef in that direction, with a dry bank upon it, they tacked to the N. E. at half past one; and got ground, for the first time, in 64 fathoms, coral bottom. During the following night, they stood off and on, constantly getting soundings.

No breakers were in sight in the morning of Sept. 3. At seven, a boat was sent ahead; and the vessels bore away after her to the N. W., in order to try the New-Guinea side of the Strait. At noon, their course was interrupted by a reef, which was named _Bonds Reef_, extending from W. N. W. to North, and distant four or five miles: observed latitude 9° 6', longitude 144° 13'. The north side of the Strait being judged impracticable, the wind was again hauled to the southward; and, at dusk, the vessels anchored in 37 fathoms, fine grey sand; five or six miles north of a reef, upon which was a dry bank, called _Anchor Key_. An island of considerable height, bearing S. W. by W. ten leagues, was then seen from the mast head: Captain Bligh gave it the name of _Darnley's Island_; and to the space between Portlock's and Bond's Reefs, by which the vessels had entered the Strait, that of _Bligh's Entrance_.

Sept. 4. A boat was sent to the S. S. W., and the vessels followed. Other high lands (_Murray's Isles_) were seen to the southward; and a reef with a sand bank on it, to the west. At noon, the latitude was 9° 32' south, and longitude 143° 59' east: Darnley's Island bore S. 74° to 82° W., four leagues; and the largest of Murray's Isles, S. 13° to 21° E.: the western reef was about three miles distant, but nothing was visible ahead in the S. by W. At four o'clock, the vessels anchored in 21 fathoms, sandy bottom; with Darnley's Island bearing N. 60° W., three leagues. Betwixt a sand-bank, called _Canoe Key_, which bore S. 60° W., two leagues, and a reef lying in the W. by S., there appeared to be a passage, which the boats were sent to examine.

On the 5th, boats were again sent to sound the passage. Several large sailing canoes were seen; and the cutter making the signal for assistance, the pinnace was sent to her, well manned and armed. On the return of the boats in the afternoon, it appeared, that, of four canoes which used their efforts to get up to the cutter, one succeeded. There were in it fifteen Indians, black, and quite naked; and they made signs which were interpreted to be amicable. These signs the officer imitated; but not thinking it prudent to go so near as to take a green cocoa-nut, which was held up to him, he continued rowing for the ship. A man, who was sitting upon the shed erected in the centre of the canoe, then said something to those below; and immediately they began to string their bows. Two of them had already fitted arrows, when the officer judged it necessary to fire in his own defence. Six muskets were discharged; and the Indians fell flat into the bottom of the canoe, all except the man on the shed: the seventh musket was fired at him, and he fell also. During this time, the canoe dropped astern; and the three others having joined her, they all gave chase to the cutter, trying to cut her off from the ship; in which they would probably have succeeded, had not the pinnace arrived, at that juncture, to her assistance. The Indians then hoisted their sails, and steered for Darnley's Island.

No boats could have been manoeuvred better, in working to windward, than were these long canoes by the naked savages. Had the four been able to reach the cutter, it is difficult to say, whether the superiority of our arms would have been equal to the great difference of numbers; considering the ferocity of these people, and the skill with which they seemed to manage their weapons.

September 6. Two boats were sent ahead; and the vessels followed them, between Canoe Key and the reef lying from it half a mile to the north. After running twelve miles beyond this narrow pass, they anchored in 13 fathoms; the latitude being 9° 37', and longitude 143° 41'. In the afternoon, they proceeded five miles further, to the N. N. W.; and Darnley's Island then bore S. 74° to 55° E. two leagues: except on the north side, this island appeared to be surrounded with reefs and sand banks to a considerable distance. In sailing from Canoe Key, the vessels had left, on the larbord hand, a long chain of reefs and banks; at the north-west end of which, were three low, woody islands: the nearest of these, bearing S. 41° W. two or three miles from the anchorage, was named _Nepean Island_. The view to the northward, from W. by N. to E. by S., was free from dangers; but in every other direction there were reefs, islands, or dry banks.

This day, several canoes from Darnley's Island came off to both vessels. On approaching, the Indians clapped upon their heads, and exclaimed _Whou! Whou! Whoo!_ repeatedly, with much vehemence; at the same time, they held out arrows and other weapons, and asked for _toore-tooree_! by which they meant iron.* After much difficulty, they were persuaded to come along-side; and two men ventured into the ship. They had bushy hair--were rather stout made--and nearly answered the description given of the natives of New Guinea.** The cartilage, between the nostrils, was cut away in both these people; and the lobes of their ears slit, and stretched to a great length, as had before been observed in a native of the _Fejee Islands_. They had no kind of clothing; but wore necklaces of cowrie shells, fastened to a braid of fibres; and some of their companions had pearl-oyster shells hung round their necks. In speaking to each other, their words seemed to be distinctly pronounced.

[* The name for iron at Taheity, is _eure-euree_, or _ooree_, orj, according to Bougainville, _aouri_.]

[** See _a Voyage to New Guinea_, by Captain Thomas Forrest.]

Their arms were bows, arrows, and clubs, which they bartered for every kind of iron work with eagerness; but appeared to set little value on any thing else. The bows are made of split bamboo; and so strong, that no man in the ship could bend one of them. The string is a broad slip of cane, fixed to one end of the bow; and fitted with a noose, to go over the other end, when strung. The arrow is a cane of about four feet long, into which a pointed piece of the hard, heavy, _casuarina_ wood, is firmly and neatly fitted; and some of them were barbed. Their clubs are made of the _casuarina_, and are powerful weapons. The hand part is indented, and has a small knob, by which the firmness of the grasp is much assisted; and the heavy end is usually carved with some device: One had the form of a parrot's head, with a ruff round the neck; and was not ill done.

Their canoes are about fifty feet in length, and appear to have been hollowed out of a single tree; but the pieces which form the gunwales, are planks sewed on with the fibres of the cocoa nut, and secured with pegs. These vessels are low, forward, but rise abaft; and, being narrow, are fitted with an outrigger on each side, to keep them steady. A raft, of greater breadth than the canoe, extends over about half the length; and upon this is fixed a shed or hut, thatched with palm leaves. These people, in short, appeared to be dextrous sailors and formidable warriors; and to be as much at ease in the water, as in their canoes.

Sept. 7. The boats having found deep water round the north end of the three low islands, the vessels followed them; but anchored again, soon after noon, in latitude 9° 31', and longitude 143° 31'; being sheltered by the two western islands, named _Stephens'_ and _Campbell's_, and the reefs which surround them. There were then no less than eight islands in sight, at different distances; though none further to the westward than W. S. W. All these, except Darnley's Island, first seen, were small, low, and sandy; but generally well covered with wood in the central parts.

On the 8th, the vessels steered westward, with the usual precautions. No land, or other obstruction, had been seen in that quarter; but, at ten o'clock, they were forced to haul the wind to the southward, their course being impeded by reefs; upon one of which, was _Pearce's_ sandy _Key_. At noon, they had anchored in 15 fathoms, under the lee of _Dalrymple's Island_, the westernmost before seen; but two other islands were then visible in the S. by W.; and reefs extended from N.4°, to S. 55° W., at the distance of three or four miles. The latitude here was 9° 37'; and longitude, from six sets of distances of the sun and moon, 143° 31'; but, by the time-keepers, 143° 15' east.

Several canoes were lying upon the shore of Dalrymple's Island; but no natives could he distinguished from the ships. When the boats returned, however, from sounding, in the afternoon, they came out upon the beach; waving green branches and clapping upon their heads, in token of friendship. Boats were afterwards sent to them, and were amicably received; the natives running into the water to meet them, and some getting into one of the boats. They eagerly asked for _toore-tooree_; and gave in exchange some ornaments of shells, and a kind of plum somewhat resembling a _jambo_. When the boats pushed off from the shore, the natives followed into the water, and appeared anxious to detain them; but offered no violence. A moderately-sized dog, of a brown, chestnut colour, was observed amongst the party.

Sept. 9. The vessels steered after the boats, between the cluster of islands to the southward, and an extensive reef to the west; with soundings from 15 to 10 fathoms. At noon, the latitude was 9° 48', longitude by timekeepers 143° 6'; and two other islands came in sight to the westward. Before two o'clock, an extensive reef, partly dry, to which the name of _Dungeness_ was given, made it necessary to heave to, until the boats had time to sound; after which, captain Bligh bore away along the north side of the reef, and anchored a mile from it, in 17 fathoms, hard bottom. In this situation, _Dungeness Island_, which is low and very woody, bore N. 64° to 87° W. three miles; and a small sandy isle, named _Warriours Island_, N. 6° to 1° W. four miles: this last appeared to stand upon the great western reef, and was surrounded with dry sands. Besides these, there were other low isles, called the _Six Sisters_, in sight, to the south-east; and a long, flat island, bearing S. 33° to 46° W. over the dry Dungeness Reef; in the west, also, there were islands visible, at a greater distance, and much higher, than the others. The Strait, instead of becoming clearer, seemed to be more and more embarrassed with dangers, as the vessels proceeded westward. The latitude of this anchorage was 9° 50½' south, and the longitude 142° 55' east.

Sept. 10. The boats sounded the channel to the north-west, between Dungeness and Warriours Islands; and finding sufficient water, the vessels got under way, at noon, to follow them. There were many natives collected upon the shore of Dungeness Island, and several canoes from Warriours Island were about the brig. Presently, captain Portlock made the signal for assistance; and there was a discharge of musketry and some guns, from his vessel and from the boats. Canoes were also coming towards the Providence; and when a musket was fired at the headmost, the natives set up a great shout, and paddled forward in a body; nor was musketry sufficient to make them desist. The second great gun, loaded with round and grape, was directed at the foremost of eight canoes, full of men; and the round shot, after raking the whole length, struck the high stem. The Indians leaped out, and swam towards their companions; plunging constantly, to avoid the musket balls which showered thickly about them. The squadron then made off, as fast as the people could paddle without showing themselves; but afterwards rallied at a greater distance, until a shot, which passed over their heads, made them disperse, and give up all idea of any further attack.

In passing the deserted canoe, one native was observed still sitting in it. The other canoes afterwards returned to him; and, with glasses, signals were perceived to be made by the Indians, to their friends on Dungeness Island, expressive, as was thought, of grief and consternation.

No arrows fell on board the Providence; but three men were wounded in the Assistant, and one of them afterwards died: The depth to which the arrows penetrated into the decks and sides of the brig, was represented to be truly astonishing.

The vessels passed between Dungeness and Warriours Islands, with from 19 to 13 fathoms; and anchored, at four o'clock, under the lee of Dungeness Island and Reef. The passage to the westward then appeared clearer; three high islands, bearing from S. 60° W. three leagues, to N. 76° W. five leagues, forming the sole visible obstructions.

Sept. 11. Captain Bligh proceeded on his course to the W. N. W., and passed two islands, to which the descriptive names of _Turtle-backed Island_ and the _Cap_ were given; and, soon after noon, the vessels anchored in 7 fathoms, soft bottom. There was a dry sand bearing N. 63° W. two or three miles; between which, and the third high island, called _The Brothers_, bearing S. 55° to 69° W. three miles, it was judged necessary for the boats to sound, before proceeding further. This anchorage was in latitude 9° 43', and longitude 142° 40'; and, besides the islands already mentioned, there was in sight a mountainous island, to which the name of _Banks_ was given, bearing S. 43° W., twelve or thirteen leagues; also _Burke's Island_, S. 13° W. eight or ten leagues; and _Mount Cornwallis_, on another island, N. 29° W. six or eight leagues; and from behind this last, to N. 7° W., there extended a level land, which was supposed to be a part of the coast of NEW GUINEA.

Sept. 12. The vessels followed the boats to the westward; but were interrupted by reefs, and obliged to anchor again before noon. The water had shoaled gradually, and there was then only 6 fathoms: the bottom a coarse, coral sand. Two other islands were then in sight: a low one, named _Turn-again Island_, bore N. 53° W. about four leagues; and _Jervis' Island_, which is rather high, S. 48° W. nine leagues. A reef, with a dry sand upon it, extended from S. 7° E. to 62° W. four or five miles; another was distant three miles to the west; and a third bore N. 18° W. five miles. The latitude of the anchorage was 9° 41' south, and longitude 142° 24' east.

A fresh gale from south-east did not allow the Providence and Assistant to proceed onward for three days. In the mean time, the passage between the reefs to the N. W., was sounded by the boats; and found to contain about 5 fathoms, regularly, upon hard ground. They were also sent to examine the passage round the southern reefs; and this being deeper, with a superior bottom, it was chosen as the preferable route.

Sept. 16. The vessels passed to windward of the southern reef; and steered south-westward, as it trended, in from 7 to 5 fathoms water, until half past noon; when they anchored in latitude 10° 3', and longitude, by time-keeper, 142° 14'. The sole direction in which the eye could range without being obstructed, was that whence the vessels had come; every where else the view was arrested by rocks, banks, and islands. The most extensive of these, was Banks' Island, extending from S. 14° E. to 62° W., two or three leagues; with a high hill upon it named _Mount Augustus_, which bore S. 4° E:* Another large island, named _Mulgrave's_, extended from behind the last to a cluster of rocks, whose extreme bore W. 5° N. The nearest land, bearing S. 24° E., one mile and a half, was the north-westernmost of three small isles; and to this, the second lieutenant was sent, for the purpose of taking possession of all the islands seen in the Strait, for HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY GEORGE III., with the ceremonies used on such occasions: the name bestowed upon the whole was CLARENCE'S ARCHIPELAGO.

[* This mountain, in latitude 10° 12' south, longitude 142° 13' east, was seen by captain Bligh from the Bounty's launch, and marked in his chart, (_Voyage, etc._ p. 220.) It appears to be the same island indistinctly laid down by captain Cook, in latitude 10° 10', longitude 141° 14'; and is, also, one of those, to which the term _Hoge Landt_ is applied in Thevenot's chart of 1663.]

_North Possession Island_ was found to be little else than a mass of rocks surrounded by a reef; but it was covered with a variety of trees and shrubs. Amongst them was a cluster of cocoa-nut trees, bearing a small, but delicious, fruit; and the tree bearing a plum, such as had been seen at Dalrymple's Island. Besides these, the botanists found the _peeha_ and _nono_ of Taheity; and two new plants, of the size of the common mulberry. One, of the class _polyadelphia_, bears a scarlet, bell-shaped flower, large as the China rose; the other was a species of _erythrina_, bearing clusters of butterfly-shaped flowers, of a light yellow, tinged with purple: both were entirely destitute of leaves, and their woods remarkably brittle.

There did not appear to be any fixed inhabitants upon Possession Island; but from a fire which had been recently extinguished, and the shells and bones of turtle scattered around, it was supposed to have been visited not many days before. The bushes were full of small, green ants; which proved exceedingly troublesome to those who had sufficient hardihood to penetrate their retreats. Another, and larger species of ant, was black; and made its nest by bending and fixing together the leaves, in a round form, so as to be impenetrable to the wet. These, and a small kind of lizard, were all the animals found upon the island.

Sept. 17. The boats led to the westward, steering for a passage between Mulgrave's and Jervis' Islands; but seeing it full of rocks and shoals, the vessels anchored a little within the entrance, in 10 fathoms, coarse ground; until the boats should sound ahead. The latitude here was 10° 2', and longitude 142° 03'. The flood tide, from the E. N. E., was found to set through between the islands, at the rate of four miles an hour; and the breeze being fresh, and bottom bad, the situation was considered to be very unsafe.

Whilst the boats were sounding, several Indians in three canoes, were perceived making towards them; but on a swivel shot being fired over their heads, they returned to Mulgrave's Island, on the south side of the passage. On the signal being made for good anchorage further on, the Assistant led to the W. by S.; but on reaching the boats, the bottom was found much inferior to what had been imagined; the approach of night, however, obliged captain Bligh to anchor, soon afterward, in 8 fathoms.

In this situation, the vessels were so closely surrounded with rocks and reefs, as scarcely to have swinging room; the bottom was rocky; the wind blowing a fresh gale; and a tide running between four and five knots an hour. This anxious night was, however, passed without accident; and next morning, Sept. 18, the route was continued through the passage, between reefs and rocks, which, in some places, were not three quarters of a mile asunder: the smallest depth was 4 fathoms.

On clearing this dangerous pass, which captain Bligh named, _Bligh's Farewell_, he anchored in 6 fathoms, sandy bottom; the wind blowing strong at S. E. with thick weather. The latitude here was 10° 5', and longitude 141° 56'. From north nearly, round by the east, to S. 8° E., there was a mass of islands, rocks, and reefs, at various distances; but in the western half of the compass, no danger was visible; and as far as three miles to the W. N. W., the boats found good soundings in 6 and 7 fathoms.

Sept. 19. The wind moderated; and the vessels steered W. by S. until noon, with a depth gradually increasing from 6 to 8 fathoms. The latitude was then 10° 8½' south longitude, by time keeper, 141° 31' east, and no land was in sight; nor did any thing more obstruct captain Bligh and his associate, in their route to the island _Timor_.

Thus was accomplished, in nineteen days, the passage from the Pacific, or Great Ocean, to the Indian Sea; without other misfortune than what arose from the attack of the natives, and some damage done to the cables and anchors. Perhaps no space of 3½° in length, presents more dangers than Torres' Strait; but, with caution and perseverance, the captains Bligh and Portlock proved them to be surmountable; and within a reasonable time: how far it may be advisable to follow their track through the Strait, will appear more fully hereafter.

In the _Voyage to the South Seas in H. M. ship Bounty_, page 220, captain Bligh says, "I cannot with certainty reconcile the situation of some parts of the coast (near Cape York) that I have seen, to his (captain Cook's) survey;" and from the situation of the high islands on the west side of the Strait, which had been seen from the Bounty's launch, and were now subjected to the correction of the Providence's time-keepers; he was confirmed in the opinion, that some material differences existed in the positions of the lands near Cape York.

BAMPTON and ALT. 1793.

The last passage known to have been made through Torres' Strait, previously to the sailing of the Investigator, was by Messieurs WILLIAM BAMPTON and MATTHEW B. ALT, commanders of the ships _Hormuzeer_ and _Chesterfield_. Their discoveries were made public, in two charts, by Mr. Dalrymple, in 1798 and 1799; and from them, and captain Bampton's manuscript journal, the south coast of New Guinea, and most of the reefs and islands near it, are laid down in Plate XIII.; after having been adjusted to the observations of captain Bligh, and to those subsequently made by me in the Investigator and Cumberland. The journal was obtained through the kindness of Mr. Arrowsmith; and, though no courses and distances be given, and the differences from the charts be sometimes considerable, it is yet so interesting in many points, that I have judged the following abridgement would be acceptable, as well to the general, as to the nautical, reader.

The Hormuzeer and Chesterfield sailed together from Norfolk Island; with the intention of passing through Torres' Strait, by a route which the commanders did not know to have been before attempted. June 20, 1793, in the evening, being in latitude 10° 24' south, and longitude 144° 14' east (by captain Bampton's chart), a dry reef was seen extending from W. ½ S. to N. W. by W., distant four or five miles, and breakers from the mast head at N. by E. ½ E. An island (Murray's), which appeared to be large and woody, was also seen, and bore N. W. ½ W. The ships got ground in 60 fathoms, and hauled the wind to the eastward, till midnight; when, having no bottom at 70 fathoms, they lay to, till morning.

June 21. The Hormuzeer's long boat was sent ahead; and, at ten o'clock, the ships bore away northward. At noon, the latitude was 9° 30'. The course was altered, at three, to the north-west; and at dusk, they hove to, for the night: soundings from 70 to 56 fathoms. The same course being resumed on the 22nd, the latitude, at noon, was 8° 48'; and the depth 30 fathoms, on a bottom of sand, mud, and shells. From noon to five p.m., when they anchored, the ships appear to have steered W. by S. The land had been seen at one o'clock; and at two, the water had shoaled suddenly, from 30 to 10 fathoms, and afterwards diminished to 5, which continued to the place of anchorage. The land was part of the coast of NEW GUINEA; and the extremes were set at W. by N. ½ N. and N. W. ½ N., six or seven leagues, (in the chart, miles.) The flood tide here, set two miles per hour, towards the land; and the rise, by the lead line, was nine feet.

June 23. The ships got under way with the weather, or ebb, tide, a little before noon: latitude 8° 52'. At four o'clock, the wind blew strong at south-east, with thick weather, and they anchored in 9 fathoms, blue mud; having made a course of E. N. E. nearly parallel to the coast. They remained here till the next afternoon; when the Hormuzeer having parted her cable, both ships stood to the north-eastward, along the land, until midnight; at which time they wore to the south-west, in 30 fathoms. At daylight of the 25th, the depth had decreased to 16 fathoms; and they stretched north-eastward again, with little variation in the soundings. The latitude, at noon, was 8° 10'; and the ships continued their course upon a wind, keeping as much to the east as possible; and the soundings having increased to 30 fathoms, at dusk, they hove to; but stretched off, at midnight, on coming into 10 fathoms. In the morning of June 26, they were standing to the eastward; but the wind becoming light at nine o'clock, Mr. Bampton anchored in 9 fathoms, on a muddy bottom, in latitude 7° 55' south. The coast of New Guinea was then seen to extend from N. N. W. ½ W. to E. N. E.; and the south end of a reef, running off from the western extreme, bore W. by S. ½ S., two leagues.

The land here forms a large, unsheltered bay; and an opening nearly at the head, bearing N. ½ E., appeared like the entrance of a considerable river; but an officer, who was sent in a boat to sound, saw breakers stretching across. The soundings were regular, from 9 to 6 fathoms, within a mile or two of the shore; when there was only twelve feet; and the surf which rolled in, made it impossible to land. The country round the bay is described as level and open, and of an agreeable aspect.

On the return of the boat the ships weighed, and stretched southward until June 27, at noon. The latitude was then 9° 1'; and a sand bank was seen from the mast head, bearing S. W. ½ W. They then wore to the north-eastward; and continued upon that course until the 28th, at dusk; when the land of New Guinea being in sight as far as E. by N., the same, apparently, which had been set from the anchorage on the 26th, they stretched off till two in the morning and then in again, towards the land.

Captain Bampton had followed the coast of New Guinea thus far, in the hope of finding a passage to the northward, between it and Louisiade; but the trending of the land so far to the east, and the difficulty of weathering it, from the current being adverse, obliged him to give up that hope. A consultation was then held; and a determination made to attempt the passage through the middle of Torres' Strait.

At the time the ships hauled their wind to the southward, the latitude was 8° 3'; the longitude, from three distances of the sun and moon, 145° 23'; and the depth of water 40 fathoms, on a muddy bottom. They had no soundings from that time to July 1, at one a.m.; when there was 35 fathoms. At daylight, land, which was the _Darnley's Island_ of captain Bligh, bore S. W. by S. seven or eight leagues; a dry sand was seen in the W. N. W., (probably W. S. W.); and a reef, which appears to have been that of Anchor Key, was six or seven miles distant in the S. E. At four in the afternoon, when Darnley's Island bore W. by N. ½ N. five leagues, and Murray's Island S. E. ½ E. (probably S. S. E. ½ E.) the ships anchored in 22 fathoms, marly bottom; and the boats were sent towards the first Island to sound, and see if it were inhabited. The latitude observed at this anchorage, was 9° 40' south, and longitude from three distances of the sun and moon 142° 58' 30" east.

July 2. The boats returned. Between the ships and the island, they had passed over five different reefs, separated by narrow channels of 11 to 14 fathoms deep. The natives of the island came down in considerable numbers; and exchanged some bows and arrows, for knives and other articles. They were stout men; and somewhat above the common size of Europeans. Except in colour, which was not of so deep a cast, they bore much resemblance to the natives of Port Jackson; and had scars raised upon their bodies in the same manner. The men were entirely naked; but the women, who kept at a distance and appeared small in size, wore an apron of leaves, reaching down, to the knee. Many cocoa-nut trees were seen in the lower parts of the island.

When the boats returned, they were followed by four canoes. One of them went along-side of the Chesterfield; and an Indian ventured on board, on a sailor going into the canoe, as a hostage for him. Most of these people had their ears perforated. The hair was generally cut short; but some few had it flowing loose. It is naturally black; but from being rubbed with something, it had a reddish, or burnt appearance. These Indians, so far as they could he understood, represented their island to abound in refreshments; and it was, therefore, determined to send another boat to make further examination.

July 3. Mr. Shaw, chief mate of the Chesterfield, Mr. Carter, and captain Hill of the New-South-Wales corps, who was a passenger, went away armed, with five seamen in a whale boat; and were expected to return on the following day; but the 4th, 5th, and 6th, passed, without any tidings of them; although many signal guns had been fired.

On the 7th, two boats, manned and armed, under the command of Mr. Dell, chief mate of the Hormuzeer, were sent in search of the whale boat. On reaching the island, Mr. Dell heard conch shells sounding in different parts; and saw eighty or ninety armed natives upon the shore. To the inquiries, by signs, after the missing boat, they answered that she was gone to the westward; but none of them would venture near; nor did they pay attention to a white handkerchief which was held up, and had before been considered a signal of peace.

As the boats proceeded in their search, round the island, the natives followed along the shore, with increasing numbers. One man, who was rubbed with something blue, and appeared to be a chief, had a small axe in his hand; which was known, from the red helve, to have belonged to Mr. Shaw. On reaching the bay in the north-west side of the island, Mr. Dell remarked that the natives disappeared; all except about thirty, who were very anxious in persuading him to land. They brought down women; and made signs, that the boat and people whom he sought, were a little way up in the island. He, however, rowed onward; when the beach was immediately crowded with people, who had been lying in ambush, expecting him to land.

After having gone entirely round the island, and seen nothing of the object of his research, Mr. Dell returned to the first cove; where a great concourse of natives, armed with bows, arrows, clubs, and lances, were assembled at the outskirt of the wood. By offering knives and other things, a few were induced to approach the boat; and the coxswain seized one of them by the hair and neck, with the intention of his being taken off to the ships, to give an account of the missing boat and people. A shower of arrows instantly came out of the wood; and a firing was commenced, which killed one Indian, and wounded some others. In the mean time, the coxswain found it impossible to keep the man, from his hair and body being greased; and the boat's crew was too much occupied to assist him.

July 8. The two commanders having heard the report of Mr. Dell, proceeded with the ships, round the northern reefs and sand banks, to the bay on the north-west side of Darnley's Island, which was named _Treacherous Bay_. On the 9th, in the afternoon, they anchored with springs on the cables, in 13 fathoms, sand, mud, and shells; the extremes of the island bearing E. ½ N. to S. W. by S., and the nearest part distant a quarter of a mile. A boat was sent on shore; and returned, at sunset, with a few cocoa nuts; but without having seen any of the inhabitants.

July 10. An armed party of forty-four men landed from the ships, under the command of Mr. Dell. After hoisting the union jack, and taking possession of this, and the neighbouring islands and coast of New Guinea, in the name of His Majesty, they examined the huts, and found the great coats of captain Hill, Mr. Carter, and Mr. Shaw; with several other things which had belonged to them, and to the boats' crew; so that no doubt was entertained of their having been murdered. In the evening, the party arrived from making the tour of the island; having burnt and destroyed one-hundred-and-thirty-five huts; sixteen canoes, measuring from fifty to seventy feet in length; and various plantations of sugar cane. The natives appeared to have retired to the hills in the centre of the island; as not one of them could be discovered.

Darnley's Island was judged to be about fifteen miles in circumference. It is variegated with hills and plains; and the richness of the vegetation bespoke it to be very fertile; it appeared, however, to be scantily supplied with fresh water, there being only one small place where it was found near the shore. The plantations of the natives, which were extensive and numerous in the plains, contained yams, sweet potatoes, plantains, and sugar canes, inclosed within neat fences of bamboo; and cocoa-nut trees were very abundant particularly near the habitations. The hills, which mostly occupy the middle of the island, were covered with trees and bushes of a luxuriant growth; and upon different parts of the shores, the mangrove was produced in great plenty.

The habitations of the Indians were generally placed at the heads of the small coves; and formed into villages of ten or twelve huts each, inclosed within a bamboo fence of, at least, twelve feet high. The hut much resembles a haycock, with a pole driven through it; and may contain a family of six or eight people. The covering is of long grass, and cocoa leaves. The entrance is small; and so low, that the inhabitants must creep in and out; but the inside was was clean and neat; and the pole that supports the roof, was painted red, apparently with ochre.

In each of the huts, and usually on the right hand side going in, were suspended two or three human skulls; and several strings of hands, five or six on a string. These were hung round a wooden image, rudely carved into the representation of a man, or of some bird; and painted and decorated in a curious manner: the feathers of the Emu or Cassuary generally formed one of the ornaments. In one hut, containing much the greater number of skulls, a kind of gum was found burning before one of these images. This hut was adjoining to another, of a different form, and much more capacious than any of the others. The length was thirty feet, by fifteen in breadth; and the floor was raised six feet from the ground. The hut was very neatly built of bamboo, supported by long stakes, and thatched with cocoa leaves and dried grass. It was judged to be the residence of the chief of the island; and was the sole hut in which there were no skulls or hands; but the adjoining one had more than a double proportion.

The corpse of a man, who had been shot, was found disposed of in the following manner. Six stakes were driven into the ground; about three feet from each other, and six feet high. A platform of twigs was worked upon them, at the height of five feet; and upon this, the body was laid, without covering; but the putrid state of the corpse, did not allow of a close inspection.

Upon the reefs which surround the island, square places, of about fifty feet every way, were formed, by piling up stones of two or three feet high. The tide flows over these; and, on the ebb, the Indians go down and take out the fish. On all parts of the reefs, there were bamboos set up, with pendants of dried leaves; but whether they were intended as beacons for the canoes, or to point out the boundaries of each fishery, could not be ascertained.

The description of the canoes is nearly the same as that given in the voyage of Bligh and Portlock; but Mr. Bampton says, "some of them were ingeniously carved and painted, and had curious figures at each end." The weapons of these people are bows, arrows, clubs of about four feet long, and spears and lances of various kinds, made of black., hard, wood. Some of the lances were jagged, from the sharp point to a foot upward; and most of them were neatly carved.

The sole quadrupeds seen, were rats, mice, and lizards; which, when the huts were set on fire, ran from them in great numbers. Land birds were numerous in all parts of the island; and upon the reefs were many curlews, large yellow-spotted plover, king's fishers, sand pipers, red bills, and gulls.

Captain Bampton lays down Darnley's Island, which the natives call WAMVAX, in latitude 9° 39' 30" south, and longitude 142° 59' 15" east; but in his chart, the centre is placed in 9° 34' south., and 143° 1' east. He much regretted that he could not land again, to examine the interior parts of this fine island; but his long boat having drifted out of sight, without water, provisions, or compass, it was judged necessary for the ships to weigh, and look after her.

July 11. The Hormuzeer stood to the northward, with soundings of 15 to 19 fathoms. After three hours run, with a fresh breeze, a reef and sand bank were seen ahead, and the ship was veered to the south-west. Another reef and bank were descried, soon afterward, in the west; and, at the same time, a signal for seeing the long boat was made by the Chesterfield. In the afternoon, the boat was picked up, and both ships anchored under Stephens' Island.

An armed party was immediately sent on shore, to obtain intelligence if possible, of the lost whale boat. The natives were assembled in hostile array, upon the hills, sounding their conchs; but, after lancing a few arrows, they fled. Several were wounded by the shots fired in return; but they succeeded in escaping to a canoe at the back of the island, and getting off; all except one boy, who was taken unhurt.* In the huts, which were burnt, several things were found; and amongst them, a sheet of copper which belonged to the Chesterfield.

[* It does not appear in the journal, when, or where this boy was set on shore; nor is any further mention made of him.]

July 12. Stephens' Island was traversed all over; and a spike nail, with the king's broad arrow upon it, was brought on board, and excited many conjectures as to whence it came.* The plantations, huts, images, skulls, and hands, were found similar to those of Darnley's Island. Amongst the trees, there was one resembling an almond, the nuts of which were good. The cocoa nut grows abundantly; especially in the south-eastern part, where the trees formed a continued grove. The sole quadruped seen, except rats, was a pretty animal of the opossum tribe. It was found in a cage; and had probably been brought, either from New Guinea, or New South Wales.**

[* It had probably been obtained from the crews of either the Providence or Assistant; which had anchored under Stephens' Island, nine months before.]

[** Mr. Bampton's description of this animal is briefly as follows. Size and shape, of the opossum. Colour, yellowish white with brown spots. End of the tail, deep red: prehensile. Eyes, reddish brown: red when irritated. No visible ears. Used its paws in feeding: five nails to each. Habit, dull and slothful: not savage. Food, maize, boiled rice, meat, leaves, or any thing offered. Odour, very strong at times, and disagreeable.]

July 13. A boat was sent to Campbell's Island; but it did not contain either plantations, cocoa-nut trees, or fixed inhabitants. This, as also Stephens' and Nepean's Islands, are mostly low and sandy; and surrounded with extensive reefs, upon which, it was thought, the Indians pass from one island to the other, at low water.

In the afternoon, the ships proceeded to the westward; but meeting with many reefs, they hauled more to the north, and discovered _Bristow Island_, lying close to the coast of New Guinea. Their attempts to find a passage here, were fruitless; and after incurring much danger, and the Chesterfield getting aground, they returned to their former anchorage, in the evening of July 21. The banks, reefs, and lands, seen during these eight days, will be found marked in Plate XIII.

Two canoes immediately came off from Stephens' Island; and one of the natives remained on board the Hormuzeer till eight o'clock. He seemed to be without fear; and when inquiry was made after the lost boat and people, he pointed to a whale boat, and made signs that such an one had been at Darnley's Island; and that six of the people were killed.* Many presents were made to this man; and he was clothed, and sent on shore in one of the boats.

[* Captain Hill and four of the seamen were murdered by the natives. Messieurs Shaw and Carter were severely wounded; but with Ascott, the remaining seaman, they got into the boat, cut the grapnel rope, and escaped. They were without provisions or compass; and it being impossible to reach the ships, which lay five leagues to windward, they bore away to the west, through the Strait; in the hope of reaching Timor. On the tenth day, they made land; which proved to be _Timor-laoet_. They there obtained some relief to their great distress; and went on to an island called by the natives, _Sarrett_; where Mr. Carter died: Messieurs Shaw and Ascott sailed in a prow, for Banda, in the April following. See Collins' _Account of the English Colony in New South Wales_. Vol. I. page 464, 465.]

July 22. The ships' crews beginning to feel the want of fresh water, people were sent on shore to dig a well; and the natives, though they still appeared shy and suspicious, gave them some assistance. On the 24th, the boats had discovered a passage to the south-westward; and as the well produced little water, and no provision could be obtained, it was determined to proceed onward, through the Strait, without further delay.

They weighed the same afternoon; and anchored, at dusk, in 14 fathoms; Campbell's Island bearing N. E. by E. to E. by N. ¾ N.; and many other small isles being in sight to the south-west and southward. Next day, the 25th, they steered S. by W. ½ W., from seven in the morning to six in the evening; when they anchored in 17 fathoms, having islands in sight nearly all round: the nearest at the distance of five or six miles. These islands were small; but inhabitants were seen on the greater number; and two canoes went off to the Chesterfield.

July 26. The ships proceeded westward, very slowly; the wind being at south-west. In the morning of the 27th, they were at anchor in 11 fathoms; Dungeness Island bearing W. by N. to N. W. by W. ½ W., about six miles; and Warriors Island N. N. W. ½ W. eight miles. Mr. Dell had passed the preceding night upon one of the Six Sisters, which was called _Dove Island_, bearing from the ship, S. S. E. six miles. A fire on the beach, with two fish broiling upon it, bespoke the presence of inhabitants; but on searching the island over, none could be discovered: it was thought that they had fled to a larger island, it being connected with this by a reef, which dries at low water. Mr. Dell had a seine with him, and caught a dozen fine fish; but the object of remaining all night, that of taking turtle, did not succeed; although large shells of them were found upon the shore.

Dove Island is about one mile and a half in circumference; and covered with trees and shrubs, the fragrance of whose flowers perfumed the air. Amongst other birds, two beautiful doves were shot. The plumage of the body was green; the head, bill, and legs, red; the tail, and under sides of the wings, yellow. No huts, plantations, or other signs of fixed inhabitants were seen; nor was there any fresh water.

On the return of the boat, the vessels weighed; and the wind being at W. S. W., they worked through. between Dungeness and Warriors Islands, with the flood tide. They then anchored in 11 fathoms; the first Island bearing S. S. E. to S ½ W. three leagues, and the second E. by S. ½ S.

July 28. Having a fresh breeze at E. S. E., the long boat was sent ahead, and the ships followed, to the westward. They passed Turtle-backed Island, the Cap, and the Brothers, on one side, and Nichols' Key on the other: the soundings gradually shoaling from 12 to 7 fathoms. Upon the Cap, Mr. Bampton "saw a volcano burning with great violence," which induced him to give it the name of _Fire Island_; not knowing that it had before been named. At noon, the Brothers, with the Cap and Turtle-backed Island behind, bore S. E. by S. to S. ½ E. four miles; and Mount Cornwallis N. 16° W.

The water continued to shoal; and at three p.m., the ships anchored in 5 fathoms, sand, shells, and stones; the Brothers bearing E. by S. ¼ S. five leagues, and Mount Cornwallis N. by E. ¼ E. There were two large islands in sight in the S. S. W. ¼ W. to S. W. ¼ S., at the distance of eight or ten leagues; and many nearer reefs in the same direction.

July 29. The long boat was sent to sound in the north-west; and when the ebb tide slacked, the ships followed: wind at E. S. E. The soundings increased from 5 to 7 fathoms; and afterwards varied between these depths, until noon; when the latitude observed was 9° 42' south.* The Brothers then bore S. 64° E.; Mount Cornwallis N. 38° E; and a long, low island (Turn-again., of Bligh,) N. 35° to 58° W. At three p.m. the reefs were so numerous, that the ships were obliged to anchor, until the boats could sound for a passage: the depth here was 4½ fathoms, on a bottom of rotten stones and coral.

[* This latitude is from 4' to 6' more _south_ than captain Bligh's positions; and the same difference occurs in all the observations, where a comparison can be made.]

July 31. They weighed, and hauled the wind eastward, to pass round Turn-again Island; bearing away occasionally to avoid small reefs: the soundings 5½ to 4 fathoms. After passing round, they anchored in 5 fathoms; until the boats should sound between the reefs which appeared on every side: Turn-again Island then bore S. 56° to 83° W. about two leagues, Mount Cornwallis N. 56° E., the Brothers S. 50° E.; the latitude observed was 9° 32', and longitude from four sights of the sun and moon, 140° 58' east. Next afternoon, in proceeding to the north-westward, the Chesterfield struck upon a bank in eight feet water; but the coral giving way to the ship, she went over without injury. In the evening, they both anchored in 4½ fathoms, gravel and shells; Mount Cornwallis bearing E. ¼ S., and a long tract of land from N. W. by N. to N. E., at the distance of five or six leagues. Turn-again Island bore S. S. E. ¾ E. to S. ½ W., four miles; and thither the ships ran on Aug. 3, and anchored in 3¾ fathoms, fine sand, within a quarter of a mile of the shore; the extremes bearing S. 58° E. to 60° W. The purpose for which they came to this island, was to procure wood, water, and refreshments; during the time necessary for the boats to explore a passage through the innumerable reefs and banks, which occupy this part of the Strait.

Messieurs Bampton and Alt remained here seventeen days; being afraid to move with the strong south-east winds which blew during the greater part of the time. Turn-again Island is flat, low, and swampy; and about three miles in length, by half that space in breadth. (Mr. Bampton's chart makes it the double of these dimensions; and, generally, the islands in it exceed the description of the journal in about the same proportion: the journal seems to be the preferable authority.) The reefs which surround Turn-again Island, extend a great distance to the east and west; particularly in the latter direction, where there are many dry sand banks. The island is mostly over-run with mangroves; and at the top of the flood, the wood cutters were obliged to work in the water; and were, at all times, exceedingly annoyed with musketoes. The island is said, in the journal, to be in 9° 34; south and 140° 55' east; which is 3' to the south and 1° 24' west of its situation in the chart of captain Bligh.

No other refreshment than small quantities of fish, crabs, and shell-fish, being procurable here, the ships crews were further reduced in their short allowance. With respect to fresh water, their situation was still worse: None could be obtained upon Turn-again Island; and had not captain Bampton ingeniously contrived a _still_, their state would have been truly deplorable. He caused a cover, with a hole in the centre, to be fitted by the carpenter upon a large cooking pot; and over the hole he funded an inverted tea kettle, with the spout cut off. To the stump of the spout, was fitted a part of the tube of a speaking trumpet; and this was lengthened by a gun barrel, which passed through a cask of salt water, serving as a cooler. From this machine, good fresh water, to the amount of twenty-five to forty gallons per day, was procured; and obtained a preference to that contained in the few casks remaining in the Hormuzeer.

By Aug. 20., when the weather had become more moderate, the boats had sounded amongst the reefs in all directions; but there appeared to be no practicable passage out of this labyrinth, except to the north-west. In that direction the ships proceeded three hours, in from 6 to 3 fathoms. Next afternoon, they steered westward, with the flood tide; and again anchored in 3 fathoms, sand and gravel. The coast of New Guinea then extended from N. by E. ¼ E. to N. W. ¾ N.; and the north-west end of a long island, to which the name of _Talbot_ was given, bore N. by E. ½ E. nine or ten miles.

Aug. 22, At day-light they followed the long boat to the westward., in soundings from 2½ to 4 fathoms. At seven o'clock, the Hormuzeer grounded in 2 fathoms; upon a bank whence Talbot's Island bore N. N. E. to E. N. E., eight or ten miles, and where the observed latitude was 9° 27' south. She remained upon this bank until the morning of the 24th; when Mr. Bampton got into a channel of 13 fathoms, which had been found by the boats, and the ship did not appear to have received other damage, than the loss of the false keel. The _still_ continued to be kept at work, day and night.

Aug. 27. Messieurs Bampton and Alt proceeded onward in a track which had been sounded by the boats. At sunset, they came to, in 4 fathoms; the extremes of New Guinea then bearing N. W. by W. to N. E. by E., three or four leagues. Some further progress was made next morning; and at noon, when at anchor in 3¾ fathoms, and in latitude 9° 26½', an island was discovered bearing S. W. ¾ S. five or six leagues; which received, eventually, the name of DELIVERANCE ISLAND.

Aug. 29. The Hormuzeer grounded at low water; from which it appeared that the tide had fallen twelve feet, though then at the neaps. When the ship floated, they made sail to the westward; and deepened the water to 9 and 12 fathoms. At noon, it had again shoaled to 6; Deliverance Island bearing S. S. W. ½ W. nine or ten miles, and New Guinea N. W. to N. by E. ½ E. four or five leagues: latitude observed 9° 25' south. After proceeding a little further westward, they anchored in 5 fathoms.

Aug. 30. The soundings varied as before, between 4 and 10 fathoms: the bottom, rotten coral intermixed with sand. At noon, when the latitude was 9° 21', Deliverance Island was just in sight from the deck, in the S. E. by S.; and the extremes of New Guinea bore N. E. by E. to N. W. ½ W., ten or twelve miles.* In the afternoon, the depth again decreased to 4 fathoms, and obliged them to anchor until morning. On the 31st, the ships appear to have steered south-westward, leaving on the starbord hand a very extensive bank, on which the long boat had 2 fathoms water: the soundings from the Hormuzeer were from 3 to 7 fathoms. At noon, the latitude was 9° 27', and no land in sight. The soundings then increased gradually; and at sunset, no bottom could be found at 40 fathoms. A swell coming from S. S. W. announced an open sea in that direction; and that the dangers of Torres' Strait were, at length, surmounted.

[* Mr. Bampton's chart and journal are more at variance here than in the preceding parts of the Strait, and I have found it very difficult to adjust them; but have attempted it in Plate XIII.]

This passage of the Hormuzeer and Chesterfield in _seventy-two_ days, with that made in _nineteen_, by the captains Bligh and Portlock, displayed the extraordinary dangers of the Strait; and appear to have deterred all other commanders from following them, up to the time of the Investigator. Their accounts confirm the truth of Torres having passed through it, by showing the correctness of the sketch contained in his letter to the King of Spain.

CONCLUSIVE REMARKS.

The sole remaining information, relative to the North Coast of Terra Australis, was contained in a note, transcribed by Mr. Dalrymple, from a work of burgomaster WITSEN upon the _Migration of Mankind_. The place of which the burgomaster speaks, is evidently on the coast of Carpentaria, near the head of the Gulph; but it is called _New Guinea; and he wrote in 1705_. The note is as follows; but upon whose authority it was given, does not appear:

"In 16° 10' south, longitude 159° 17'" (east of Teneriffe, or between 142° and 143° east of Greenwich,) "the people swam on board of a Dutch ship; and when they received a present of a piece of linen, they laid it upon their head in token of gratitude: Every where thereabout, all the people are malicious. They use arrows, and bows of such a length, that one end rests on the ground when shooting. They have also _hazeygaeys_ and _kalawaeys_, and attacked the Dutch; but did not know the execution of the guns." On summing up the whole of the knowledge which had been acquired of the North Coast, it will appear, that natural history, geography, and navigation had still much to learn of this part of the world; and more particularly, that they required the accomplishment of the following objects:

1st. _A general survey of TORRES' STRAIT_. The navigation from the Pacific, or Great Ocean to all parts of India, and to the Cape of Good Hope, would be greatly facilitated, if a passage through the Strait, moderately free from danger, could be discovered; since _five or six weeks_ of the usual route, by the north of New Guinea or the more eastern islands, would thereby be saved. Notwithstanding the great obstacles which navigators had encountered in some parts of the Strait, there was still room to hope, that an examination of the whole, made with care and perseverance, would bring such a passage to light. A survey of it was, therefore, an object much to be desired; not only for the merchants and seamen trading to these parts, but also from the benefits which would certainly accrue therefrom to general navigation and geography.

2nd. _An examination of the shores of the GULPH OF CARPENTARIA_. The real form of this gulph remained in as great doubt with geographers, as were the manner how, and time when it acquired its name.* The east side of the Gulph had been explored to the latitude of 17°, and many rivers were there marked and named; but how far the representation given of it by the Dutch was faithful--what were the productions, and what its inhabitants--were, in a great measure, uncertain. Or rather it was certain, that those early navigators did not possess the means of fixing the positions and forms of lands, with any thing like the accuracy of modern science; and that they could have known very little of the productions, or inhabitants. Of the rest of the Gulph no one could say, with any confidence, upon what authority its form had been given in the charts; so that conjecture, being at liberty to appropriate the Gulph of Carpentaria to itself, had made it the entrance to a vast arm of the sea, dividing Terra Australis into two, or more, islands.

[* I am aware that the president de Brossed says, "This same year also (1628) CARPENTARIA was thus named by P. Carpenter, who discovered it when general in the service of the Dutch Company. He returned from India to Europe, in the month of June 1628, with five ships richly laden." (_Hist. des Nav. aux Terres Aust_. Tome I. 433). But the president here seems to give either his own, or the Abbé' Prevost's conjectures, for matters of fact. We have seen, that the coast called Carpentaria was discovered long before 1628; and it is, besides, little probable, that Carpenter should have been making discoveries with five ships richly laden and homeward bound. This name of Carpentaria does not once appear in Tasman's Instructions, dated in 1644; but is found in Thevenot's chart of 1663.]

3rd. _A more exact investigation of the bays, shoals, islands, and coasts of ARNHEM'S, and the northern VAN DIEMEN'S, LANDS_. The information upon these was attended with uncertainty; first, because the state of navigation was very low at the time of their discovery; and second, from want of the details and authorities upon which they had been laid down. The old charts contained large islands lying off the coast, under the names of _T' Hoog Landt_ or _Wessel's Eylandt_, and _Crocodils Eylanden_; but of which little more was known than that, if they existed, they must lie to the eastward of 135° from Greenwich. Of the R. Spult, and other large streams represented to intersect the coast, the existence even was doubtful. That the coast was dangerous, and shores sandy, seemed to be confirmed by Mr McCluer's chart; and that they were peopled by "divers cruel, poor, and brutal nations," was certainly not improbable, but it rested upon very suspicious authority. The Instructions to Tasman. said, in 1644, "Nova Guinea has been found to be inhabited by cruel, wild, savages; and as _it is uncertain what sort of people the inhabitants of the South Lands are_, it may be presumed that they are also wild and barbarous savages, rather than a civilized people." This uncertainty, with respect to the natives of Arnhem's and the northern Van Diemen's Lands, remained, in a great degree, at the end of the eighteenth century.

Thus, whatever could bear the name of _exact_, whether in natural history, geography, or navigation, was yet to be learned of a country possessing five hundred leagues of sea-coast; and placed in a climate and neighbourhood, where the richest productions of both the vegetable and mineral kingdoms were known to exist. A voyage which should have had no other view, than the survey of Torres' Strait and the thorough investigation of the North Coast of Terra Australis, could not have been accused of wanting an object worthy of national consideration.

PRIOR DISCOVERIES IN TERRA AUSTRALIS.

SECTION II.

WESTERN COASTS.

Preliminary Observations. Discoveries of Hartog: Edel: of the Ship Leeuwin: the Vianen: of Pelsert: Tasman: Dampier: Vlaming: Dampier. Conclusive Remarks.

PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS. (ATLAS Pl. I.)

Under the term WESTERN COASTS, is comprehended the space from the western extremity of the northern _Van Diemen's Land_ to the _North-west Cape_ of New Holland; and from thence, southward to _Cape Leeuwin_. The first is usually termed the North-west, and the second the West Coast: Taken together, they present an extent of shore of between seven and eight hundred leagues in length; lying in the fine climates comprised between the 11th and 35th degrees of south latitude.

HARTOG. 1616.

The recital of discoveries in Tasman's instructions speaks of the first knowledge gained of these coasts in the following terms: "In the years 1616, 1618, 1619, and 1622, the west coast of this _Great unknown_ SOUTH LAND, from 35° to 22° south latitude, was discovered by outward-bound ships; and among them by the ship _Endragt_." The recital gives no further particulars; but from thence, and from a manuscript chart by _Eessel Gerrits_, 1627,* there seems to be sufficient authority for attributing the first authenticated discovery of any part of the Western Coasts to DIRK HARTOG, commander of the ship _Endragt_, outward-bound from Holland to India. He appears to have first seen the West Coast in latitude about 26½° south; and to have sailed northward along it, to about 23°; giving the name LANDT DE ENDRAGT, to the country so discovered. An important part of his discovery was _Dirk Hartog's Road_ (at the entrance of a sound afterwards called _Shark's Bay_, by Dampier), lying a little south Of 25°. Upon one of the islands which form the road there was found, first in 1697, and afterwards in 1801, a plate of tin, bearing the following inscription.

[* See Dalrymple's _Collection concerning Papua_, note, page 6.]

"Anno 1616, the 25th of October arrived here the ship _Endragt_ of Amsterdam; the first merchant _Gillis Miebais_ of Luik, _Dirk Hartog_ of Amsterdam, captain. They sailed from hence for Bantam, the 27th Do." On the lower part, as far as could be distinguished in 1697, was cut with a knife, "The under merchant _Jan Stins_; chief mate _Pieter Dookus_ of Bill. Ao. 1616."

The _Mauritius_, another outward-bound ship, appears to have made some further discovery upon the West Coast, in July 1618, particularly Of WILLEM'S RIVER, near the North-west Cape; but no further particulars are known.

EDEL. 1619.

In Campbell's edition of _Harris' Voyages_ (p. 325), it is said, "The next year the LAND OF EDEL was found, and received its name from the discoverer.". The president De Brosses says nearly the same thing (Tome I. P. 432); whence, combining this with the Dutch recital and the chart of Eessel Gerritz, it should appear that J. DE EDEL commanded an outward-bound ship; and, in July 1619, accidentally fell in with that part of the West Coast to which his name is applied. The extent of Edel's discovery appears, from Thevenot's chart, to have been from about the latitude 29°, northward to 26½°, where the Land of Endragt commences; but in a chart of this coast, by _Van Keulen_, the name is extended southward to 32° 20', past the island Rottenest, which, according to Thevenot, should rather have been the discovery of the ship Leeuwin.

The great reef lying off the coast of Edel, called _Houtman's Abrolhos_, was discovered at the same time; probably by Edel, or by some ship in the same squadron.

THE LEEUWIN. 1622.

I do not find it any where said who commanded the _Leeuwin_, or Lioness; but it should appear, that this was also one of the outward-bound ships which fell in with the West Coast. In Thevenot's chart, Leeuwin's Land comprehends about ninety leagues of the south-west extremity of New Holland; and, from the latitude of 35°, extends northward to about 31°; but in later publications, it has been much restricted in its northern limit, apparently, upon the authority of Van Keulen.

THE VIANEN. 1628.

The next discovery upon the Western Coasts was that of the ship _Vianen_, one of the seven which returned to Europe under the command of the governor-general Carpenter. The Dutch recital speaks of this discovery in the following terms. The coast was seen "again accidentally in the year 1628, on the north side, in the latitude 21° south, by the ship Vianen, homeward bound from India; when they coasted two-hundred miles, without gaining any knowledge of this Great Country; only observing a foul and barren shore, green fields, and very wild, black, barbarous inhabitants."

This was the part called DE WITT'S LAND; but whether the name were applied by the captain of the Vianen does not appear in the recital. De Brosses says, "William de Witt gave his own name to the country which he saw in 1628, to the north of Remessen's River; and which _Viane_, a Dutch captain, had, to his misfortune, discovered in the month of January in the same year; when he was driven upon this coast of De Witt, in 21° of latitude, and lost all his riches." The confusion that reigns in the president's account does not render it improbable, that the country might have received its _name_ in the way he describes, and in the year 1628; for, in 1644, _De Witt's Land_ is used as a known term for this part of the North-west Coast.

PELSERT. 1629.

Thus far, the parts of the Western Coasts have been distinguished by little else than the dates and limits of their discovery; for, in fact, this is all that has reached us from these early navigators. The following account is of a different character: it is extracted from the twenty-first piece in Thevenot's collection; and, in the table of contents, is said to be translated from the Dutch.

The _Batavia_, commanded by FRANCISCO PELSERT, struck, in the night of June 4, 1629, upon a reef, "called by our Flemings the _Abrolhos_ or Rocks of _Frederick Houtman_," lying off the west coast of New Holland. At daylight, an island was seen about three leagues distant, and two islets, or rather rocks, somewhat nearer, to which the passengers and part of the crew were sent. There being no fresh water to be found upon these islands, Pelsert had a deck laid over one of the boats; and, on June 8, put to sea, in order to make search upon the opposite main land: his latitude, at noon, was 28° 13' south.

A short time after quitting the Abrolhos, captain Pelsert got sight of the coast, which, by estimation, bore N. by W. eight leagues from the place of shipwreck.* He had 25 to 30 fathoms, and stood off till midnight, when he again steered for the land; and in the morning of the 9th, it was four leagues off. He ran that day from five to seven leagues, sometimes to the north, sometimes to the west; the direction of the coast being N. by W.: it appeared to be rocky--without trees--and about the same height as the coast of Dover. A small, sandy bay was seen, into which Pelsert desired to enter; but finding too much surf, and the weather becoming bad, he was obliged to haul further off.

[* Thevenot says _six miles_, and does not explain what kind of miles they are; but it is most probable that he literally copies his original, and that they are Dutch miles of fifteen to a degree. Van Keulen, in speaking of Houtman's Abrolhos, says, page 19, "This shoal is, as we believe, 11 or 12 leagues (_8 ä 9 mijlen)_ from the coast."]

July 10. He kept in the same parallel, upon a wind; the weather being bad, and his boat very leaky. Next day, the wind was at W. S. W., and more moderate. He then steered north; for the sea was too high to approach the shore in safety. On the 12th, Pelsert observed the latitude to be 27°, and steered along the coast with a fair wind at S. E.; but the shore was too steep to admit of landing; neither could he find any bay or island to break off the sea. At a distance, the land seemed fertile and covered with plants. The latitude, on the 13th, was 25° 40', which showed a current setting to the northward. Here Pelsert found himself a-breast of an opening, where the coast trends to the north-east (apparently into Shark's Bay). The course this day was nearly north; the shore consisted of reddish rock, of an equal height; and there being no island in front, the waves, which broke high upon it, prevented landing.

June 14. The wind was at east; and at noon, the latitude was observed to be 24°. The tides (or rather the current) took the boat further to the north than was desired; for Pelsert then carried but little sail, in the hope to find a landing place without going further. Perceiving some smokes at a distance, he rowed towards them; but the shore proved to be steep, with many rocks, and the sea broke high against it. At length, six of his people leaped overboard, and with much labour and risk got through the surf, whilst the boat remained at anchor, in 25 fathoms. The sailors employed the rest of the day in seeking for water; and on looking about on every side, they saw four natives creeping towards them on their hands and feet. One of "our people" having appeared on an eminence, near them, the natives rose up and took to flight; so that those who were in the boat could see them distinctly. These men were wild, black, and altogether naked; not covering even those parts which almost all savages conceal.

The six sailors, losing all hope of finding water, swam back to the boat, wounded and bruised by the blows they had received from the waves and rocks. The anchor was then weighed, and Pelsert continued his course, under easy sail, along the coast; but keeping without side of the shoals. The 15th in the morning, they discovered a cape, off which lay a chain of rocks, running out four miles into the sea; and behind this was another reef, close to the shore. The water being tolerably still between them, Pelsert thought to pass through; but the reefs joined round further on, and obliged him to return. At noon, an opening was seen, where the water was smooth, and they went into it, but with considerable danger; for the depth was no more than two feet, and the bottom stony. On landing, the people dug holes in the sand; but the water which oozed in was salt. At length, fresh rain water was found in the cavities of the rocks, and afforded them great relief; for they had, hitherto, been confined to a pint of water each. They staid on shore that night, and collected full forty gallons. Ashes and the remains of cray fish were found; which showed that the natives had been there no long time before.

July 16. They sought to collect more water, but were unsuccessful; and none could be expected in the sandy, level country behind the coast. This plain was destitute of both grass and trees, and covered with ant hills so large, that they might have been taken for the houses of Indians. The quantity of flies was such, that the people had great difficulty in keeping them off. Eight savages, with with each a stick (probably a spear) in his hand, were seen at a distance. They came within musket shot; but on the Dutch sailors going towards them they took to flight.

Captain Pelsert, being at length convinced of the impossibility of procuring more water, determined to quit this coast. At noon, he got withoutside of the reef by a second opening more to the north; for, having observed the latitude to be 22° 17', his intention was to seek for the _River of Jacob Remessens_ (near the North-west Cape); but the wind veering to north-east, he could no longer follow the direction of the coast. Considering, then, that he was more than four hundred miles from the place of shipwreck, and that scarcely water enough had been found for themselves, Pelsert resolved to make the best of his way to Batavia, to solicit assistance from the governor-general.

In the mean time, some one of the people left upon the islands of the _Abrolhos_ thought of tasting the water in two holes, which, from its rising and falling with the tide, was believed to be salt; but, to their great surprise and joy, it was found good to drink, and never failed them afterwards.

On Pelsert's return to the Abrolhos in the yacht _Sardam_, he was under the necessity of executing some atrocious conspirators, and two were set on shore upon the opposite main land.* Tasman was directed by his instructions, in 1644, to "inquire at the continent thereabout, after two Dutchmen; who, having forfeited their lives, were put on shore by the commodore Francisco Pelsert, if still alive. In such case, you may make your inquiries of them about the situation of those countries; and if they entreat you to that purpose, give them passage hither."

[* For an account of the miseries and horrors which took place on the islands of the Abrolhos during the absence of Pelsert, the English reader is referred to Vol. I. p. 320 to 325 of _Campbell's_ edition of _Harris' Voyages_; but the nautical details there given are very incorrect.]

TASMAN. 1644.

It is not from any direct information, that ABEL JANSZ TASMAN is placed as the next discoverer upon the western coasts of Terra Australis; for, as has been already observed, no account of his second voyage has ever been made public, or is any such known to exist. It is, however, supposed, with great probability of truth, that, after the examination of the North Coast, he pursued his course westward along the shore to the North-west Cape, conformably to his instructions; but that he did not go further southward along the Land of Endragt than to the tropic of Capricorn, where he quitted his examination, and returned to Batavia.

The chart published by Thevenot, in 1663, gives a form to the Western Coasts, and joins them to the northern Van Diemen's Land; but it is evident from Tasman's instructions, that the part between De Witt's Land and Cape Van Diemen was unknown to the Dutch government at Batavia in 1644. And since there is no account of its having been seen during the intermediate nineteen years, it may be concluded that the North-west Coast was first explored by him; and Dampier says (Vol. III. p. 96), that he had Tasman's chart of it; though none bearing his name can now be found.*

[* The French editor of the _Voyage de Découvertes aux Terres Australes_, published in 1807, Vol. I. p. 128, attributes the formation of the North-west Coast in the common charts to the expedition of the three Dutch vessels sent from Timor in 1705. But this is a mistake. It is the chart of Thevenot, his countryman, _published forty-two years previously_ to that expedition, which has been mostly followed by succeeding geographers.]

The notes of burgomaster Witsen show, that the North-west Coast was visited by Tasman; and as they give the earliest information of the inhabitants, and are curious in themselves, they are here transcribed from Mr. Dalrymple's Papua.

"In lat. 13° 8' S. lon. 146° 18'" (probably about 129½° east of Greenwich), "the coast is barren. The people are bad and wicked, shooting at the Dutch with arrows, without provocation, when they were coming on shore: It is here very populous."

"In 14° 58' S. lon. 138° 59' (about 125° east), the people are savage, and go naked: none can understand them."

"In HOLLANDIA NOVA,* in 17° 12' S. (lon. 121° or 122° east) _Tasman_ found a naked, black people, with curly hair; malicious and cruel, using for arms, bows and arrows, hazeygaeys and kalawaeys. They once came to the number of fifty, double armed, dividing themselves into two parties, intending to have surprised the Dutch, who had landed twenty-five men; but the firing of guns frightened them so that they fled. Their prows are made of the bark of trees: their coast is dangerous: there are few vegetables: the people use no houses."

[* This expression indicates, that the before-mentioned places were not then included under the term NEW HOLLAND by Witsen: he wrote in 1705.]

"In 19° 35' S. long. 134° (about 120°, apparently), the inhabitants are very numerous, and threw stones at the boats sent by the Dutch to the shore. They made fires and smoke all along the coast, which, it was conjectured, they did to give notice to their neighbours of strangers being upon the coast. They appear to live very poorly; go naked; eat yams and other roots."

DAMPIER. 1688.

The buccaneers with whom our celebrated navigator, WILLIAM DAMPIER, made a voyage round the world, came upon the north-west coast of Terra Australis, for the purposes of careening their vessel, and procuring refreshments. They made the land in the latitude of 16° 50', due south from a shoal whose longitude is now known to be 122¼° east. From thence, they ran along the shore, N. E. by E. twelve leagues, to a bay or opening, where a convenient place was found for their purpose. Dampier's description of the country and inhabitants of the place, where he remained from Jan. 5. to March 12., is contained in the account of his voyages, Vol. I. page 462 to 470; and renders it unnecessary to do more than to mark its coincidence or disagreement with what is said, in the above note from Tasman, of the inhabitants and country near the same part of the coast.

Dampier agrees in the natives being "a naked, black people, with curly hair," like that of the negroes; but he says they have "a piece of the rind of a tree tied like a girdle about their waists, and a handful of long grass, or three or four green boughs full of leaves, thrust under their girdle, to cover their nakedness." Also, "that the two fore teeth of the upper jaw are wanting in all of them, men and women, old and young: neither have they any beards;" which circumstances are not mentioned in the note from Tasman. Dampier did not see either bows or arrows amongst them; but says, "the men, at our first coming ashore, threatened us with their lances and swords; but they were frightened by firing one gun, which we did purposely to scar them." Of "their prows made of the bark of trees," he saw nothing. On the contrary, he "espied a drove of these men swimming from one island to another; for _they have no boats, canoes, or bark logs_." The English navigator is silent as to any dangers upon the twelve leagues of coast seen by him; but fully agrees in the scarcity of the vegetable productions, and in the circumstance of the natives using no houses.

VLAMING. 1696.

The relation of Willem DE VLAMING'S voyage to New Holland was published at Amsterdam in 1701; but not having been fortunate enough to procure it, I have had recourse to _Valentyn_, who, in his _Description of Banda_, has given what appears to be an abridgment of the relation. What follows is conformable to the sense of the translation which Dr. L. Tiarks had the goodness to make for me; and the reasons for entering more into the particulars of this voyage than usual are, the apparent correctness of the observations, and that no account of them seems to have been published in the English language.*

[* The Abbé Prévost in his _Hist. gen. des Voyages_, Tome XVI. (à la Haye) p. 79-81, has given some account of Vlaming's voyage in French; but the observations on the coast between Shark's Bay and Willem's River are there wholly omitted.]

A Dutch ship, called the _Ridderschap_, having been missing from the time she had left the Cape of Good Hope, in 1684 or 1685, it was thought probable she might have been wrecked upon the GREAT SOUTH LAND, and that some of the crew might (in 1696) be still living. Accordingly, the commodore Willem de Vlaming, who was going out to India with the _Geelvink_, _Nyptang_, and _Wezel_, was ordered to make a search for them.

On Dec. 28, the ships got soundings in 48 fathoms, coral bottom; in latitude 31° 53', and longitude 133° 44' (east, apparently, from the Peak of Teneriffe, 16° 45' to the west of Greenwich); where the variation was observed to be 10° 28' west: they afterwards had 25 fathoms, on better ground. On the 29th, they anchored under the island _Rottenest_, which lies in lat. 31° 50', long. 134° 25';* and next day, a piece of wood, which had some time been fixed to the deck of a ship, was found upon the shore; but the nails were then rusted away. Fire wood was abundant here.

[* The account in _Van Keulen_ is somewhat different. He says "we steered for the Land of Endragt: and on Dec. 28, got soundings in 63 fathoms, sandy bottom. The ensuing day we had 30 fathoms, and the coast was then in sight. The Island Rottenest, in 32° south latitude, was the land we steered for; and we had from 30 to 10 fathoms, in which last we anchored on a sandy bottom."]

VLAMING. 1697.

Jan. 5. Vlaming went on shore (to the main coast), with eighty-eight armed men, and walked inland to the eastward. There were a few large, and some small trees, from which dropped a kind of _gum-lac_; but they found nothing which could be used as food: the birds were small cockatoos and green parrots, and both were very shy. At the end of three hours walk they came to a piece of water, which was salt, and upon the beach were footsteps of full-grown persons and of children. No men were seen, but they observed many smokes; and found three deserted huts, so low and ill-constructed as to be inferior to those of the Hottentots.

On the 6th, they divided themselves into three parties: one took to the north, another to the south, and the third went four miles east, more into the interior; but, except one or two decayed huts, they met with nothing. Being returned to the salt lake without finding fresh water, they dug a pit near the side of it, and obtained wherewith to relieve their thirst. The lake had fallen a foot, which showed it to have a communication with the sea; and they afterwards found the outlet, a little to the southward. No noxious animal of any kind was seen; and after remaining on shore all night, they returned on board on the 7th. The ships were then anchored nearer to the land, with the entrance of the lake or river bearing S. E. by E. The commodore afterwards went up this river, to the distance of fourteen or sixteen leagues, and caught some smelts, as also several black swans, of which two were taken alive to Batavia.*

[* This appears to be the first mention made of the black swan: the river was named _Black-Swan River_.]

Having clearly ascertained the latitude (of the ships at anchor, most probably,) to be 31° 43' south, and discovered a reef four geographic miles in length, and two miles from the shore, they sailed from thence on Jan. 13. The wind was from the southward; and whilst the ships steered N. by W., parallel to the coast, the boats ran along within them, to examine it more closely. On the 15th, the people from the boats reported that they had seen neither men nor animals, and very few trees; but had met with a reef near the shore, in 30° 17'; and many shoals, both under and above water.

Fires upon the land were seen from all the ships in the night of Jan. 16; and next day, a boat was sent with armed people; but they returned with nothing, except some sea-mews which had been caught upon the islands and shoals lying along the coast. On the 18th, the ships were in latitude 30° 30', and found the variation to be 9° 21' west; and the 20th, some small islands were seen, and shrubs observed on the main land. On the 23rd, they were near a steep head, in 28° 8', and sent a boat to the shore; but the high surf prevented landing. People were perceived walking on the downs, but at too great a distance to distinguish more than that they were of the common stature, black, and naked.* The boat got on shore soon afterward, when some brackish water was found; and having landed again on the 27th, the people saw some huts, as also the footsteps of men, and some birds; but there was no other vegetation than small shrubs. Some very indifferent water was the sole useful thing met with, and it was too far off for any to be taken on board.

[* It was near this place that captain Pelsert put the two Dutch conspirators on shore in 1629. Vlaming appears to have passed within _Houtman's Abrolhos_ without seeing them.]

Jan. 30. The boats were again sent on shore, and discovered two inlets, of which the southernmost, in latitude 26° 16', was three miles in width. On Feb. 2, they found two other openings, very deep, one of which ran up northward, and the other to the east, far inland. They went eleven leagues up the first of these, and found that it had another communication with the sea, to the N. N. W.* On the 3rd, a boat brought the above account; and also, that the chief mate of the Geelvink had found a plate of tin, with an inscription commemorating the arrival and departure of _Dirk Hartog_. (See the inscription under the article Hartog, preceding.) This Road of Dirk Hartog's Bay, where the plate had been set up, is in 25° 24'; and the west variation was 8° 34'.

[* These two openings, which in the original are called rivers, were nothing more than the entrance into Shark's Bay. A small island, lying a little within the entrance, probably made it be taken for two openings.]

No mention is made by Valentyn of the ships entering the road, nor of their departure from it; but it should seem that they anchored on Feb. 4. On the 5th, commodore Vlaming and the commander of the Nyptang went with three boats to the shore, which proved to be an island. They found also a river, and went up it four or five leagues, amongst rocks and shoals; when they saw much water inland, as if the country were drowned, but no men, nor any thing for food; and, wherever they dug, the ground was salt. They afterwards came to another river, which they ascended about one league, and found it to terminate in a round basin, and to be entirely salt water. No men were seen, nor any animals, except divers which were very shy; and the country was destitute of grass and trees. Returning downward on the 10th, they saw footsteps of men and children, of the common size, and observed the point of entrance into the river to be of a very red sand.

The ships appear to have left Dirk Hartog's Road on Feb. 12. In the evening, the west variation was observed to be 7° 21'; am on the 13th, they saw a cliffy point from whence three shoals, connected by a reef, stretch out to the N. N. E. The shore here, in latitude 24° 42', lies S. by E. and N. by W. On the 16th, they passed round the point, and steered southward along the inner side of this land; and having doubled its south end, found that it was it was an island: their latitude was then 24° 54'.

Feb. 17. The variation was observed to be 5° west, in latitude 23° 59'. Eight miles south of this situation they saw a bay with a rugged point; but to the northward the land was low: the variation was 7° 3', in the evening. They discovered some reefs on the 19th, lying three geographic miles off shore; and also a point or cape (the North-west Cape) from which a reef extended two miles to the N. N. W. On the north side of this cape is a bay, where the Geelvink anchored; and a little further on (eastward), the other two vessels found an _opening like a river, whose entrance was twelve miles wide_. They went into it, _but could no where find anchorage_. The bay is called _Willem's River_; and the two vessels afterwards there joined the Geelvink: it is in 21° 28'. The same day it was determined to sail for Batavia, every thing having been done that the commodore's orders required; and, on the 21st, they departed accordingly.

Thus the West Coast, from the island Rottenest to the North-west Cape, was examined with care by Vlaming; and it is most probable, that the chart in Van Keulen, which Mr. Dalrymple republished, and was the best known at the end of the eighteenth century, resulted from this same voyage.

DAMPIER. 1699.

CAPTAIN WILLIAM DAMPIER visited, a second time, the western coasts of Terra Australis; being then sent out purposely for discovery, in his Majesty's ship the _Roebuck_.

In the night of Aug. 1, 1699, he struck soundings upon the northern part of the Abrolhos shoal, in latitude about 27° 40' south. Next morning he saw the main coast, and ran northward along it; discovering, in 26. 10', an opening two leagues wide, but full of rocks and foul ground. Aug. 6, he anchored (in _Dirk Hartog's Road_) at the entrance of a sound, which he named SHARK's BAY, in latitude 25° 5' south. He remained there eight days, examining the sound, cutting wood upon the islands, fishing, etc.; and gives a description of what was seen in his usually circumstantial manner.*

[* For the full account of Dampier's proceedings and observations, with views of the land, see his _Voyages_, Vol. III. page 81, _et seq_.]

An animal found upon one of the islands is described as "a sort of raccoon, different from that of the West Indies, chiefly as to the legs; for these have very short fore legs; but go jumping upon them" (not upon the short fore, but the long hind, legs, it is to be presumed), "as the others do; and like them are very good meat." This appears to have been the small kangaroo, since found upon the islands which form the road; and if so, this description is probably the first ever made of that singular animal.

Leaving Shark's Bay on Aug. 14, captain Dampier steered northward, along the coast; but at too great a distance to make much observation upon it, until he got round the North-west Cape. On the 22nd, he saw an extensive cluster of islands; and anchored, in latitude 20° 21', under one of the largest, which he called _Rosemary Island_. This was near the southern part of De Witt's Land; but, besides an error in latitude of 40', he complains that, in _Tasman's chart_, "the shore is laid down as all along joining in one body, or continent, with some openings like rivers; and not like islands, as really they are."--"By what we saw of them, they must have been a range of islands, of about twenty leagues in length, stretching from E. N. E. to W. S. W.; and for ought I know, as far as to those of Shark's Bay; and to a considerable breadth also, for we could see nine or ten leagues in amongst them, towards the continent or main land of New Holland, _if there be any such thing hereabouts_: And by the great tides I met with awhile afterwards, more to the north-east, I had a strong suspicion that here might be a kind of archipelago of islands; and a passage, possibly, to the to the south of New Holland and New Guinea, into the great South Sea, eastward."

Not finding fresh water upon such of the islands as were visited that day, captain Dampier quitted his anchorage next morning, and "steered away E. N. E., coasting along as the land lies." He seems to have kept the land in sight, in the day time, at the distance of four to six leagues; but the shore being low, this was too far for him to be certain whether all was main land which he saw; and what might have been passed in the night was still more doubtful.

Aug. 30, being in latitude 18° 21', and the weather fair, captain Dampier steered in for the shore; and anchored in 8 fathoms, about three-and-half leagues off. The tide ran "very swift here; so that our nun-buoy would not bear above the water to be seen. It flows here, as on that part of New Holland I described formerly, about five fathoms."

He had hitherto seen no inhabitants; but now met with several. The place at which he had touched in the former voyage "was not above forty or fifty leagues to the north-east of this. And these were much the same blinking creatures (here being also abundance of the same kind of flesh flies teizing them), and with the same black skins, and hair frizzled, tall and thin, etc., as those were. But we had not the opportunity to see whether these, as the former, wanted two of their fore teeth." One of them, who was supposed to be a chief, "was painted with a circle of white paste or pigment about his eyes, and a white streak down his nose, from his forehead to the tip of it. And his breast, and some part of his arms, were also made white with the same paint."

Neither bows nor arrows were observed amongst these people: they used wooden lances, such as Dampier had before seen. He saw no houses at either place, and believed they had none; but "there were several things like haycocks, standing in the savannah; which, at a distance, we thought were houses, looking just like the Hottentots' houses at the Cape of Good Hope; but we found them to be so many rocks." *

[* Dampier could not have examined these rocks closely; for there can be little doubt that they were the ant hills described by Pelsert as being "so large., that they might have been taken for the houses of Indians."]

The land near the sea-coast is described as equally sandy with the parts before visited, and producing, amongst its scanty vegetation, nothing for food. No stream of fresh water was seen, nor could any, fit to drink, be procured by digging.

Quitting this inhospitable shore, captain Dampier weighed his anchor on September 5, with the intention of seeking water and refreshments further on to the north-eastward. The shoals obliged him to keep at a considerable distance from the land; and finally, when arrived at the latitude 16° 9', to give up his project, and direct his course for Timor.

CONCLUSIVE REMARKS.

With the voyage of Dampier terminates the information gained of the Western Coasts, previously to the year 1801. Monsieur de _St. Alouarn_ had, indeed, seen some points or islands, in the year 1772, when he commanded the French _flûte Le Gros Ventre_; but the particulars are not generally known, being, in all probability, of little importance.

The summary of the knowledge possessed by the public, and the objects to which investigation might be usefully directed in these parts of Terra Australis, were as follow. The outline of the north-west coast was known upon the authority, as generally believed, of _Tasman_; with some points corrected by _Dampier_. The accuracy of Tasman's chart was, however, very much called in doubt: instead of being a continued shore, as the Dutch chart represented it, Dampier found the southern parts of De Witt's Land to consist of a range of islands. And he gives it as his opinion, that the northern part of New Holland was separated from the lands to the southward, by a strait; "unless", says he, "the high tides and indraught thereabout should be occasioned by the mouth of some large river; which hath often low lands on each side of the outlet, and many islands and shoals lying at its entrance: but I rather thought it a channel, or strait, than a river." This opinion he supports by a fair induction from facts; and the opening of _twelve miles wide_, seen near the same place by Vlaming's two vessels, and in which they could find no anchorage, strongly corroborated Dampier's supposition.

Later information had demonstrated, that the supposed strait could not lead out into the Great Ocean, eastward, as the English navigator had conjectured; but it was thought possible, that it might communicate with the Gulph of Carpentaria, and even probable that a passage existed from thence to the unknown part of the South Coast, beyond the Isles of St. Francis and St. Peter.

But whether this opening were the entrance to a strait, separating Terra Australis into two or more islands, or led into a mediterranean sea, as some thought; or whether it were the entrance of a large river, there was, in either case, a great geographical question to be settled, relative to the parts behind Rosemary Island.

If Tasman's chart were defective at De Witt's Land, it was likely to be so in other parts of the same coast; where there was no account, or belief, that it had been examined by any other person further north than the latitude 16½°. An investigation of the whole North-west Coast, with its numerous islands and shoals, was, therefore, required, before it could enter into the present improved systems of geography and navigation.

The chart of the West Coast, as far south as Rottenest, was founded upon much better authority; but for its formation from thence to Cape Leeuwin there were no good documents. In this part, there was room even for discovery; and the whole coast required to be laid down with more accuracy than had been attainable by the Dutch navigators.

As to the soil and vegetable productions upon several points near the sea, from Rottenest, northward to 16½, there was tolerably good general information; the inhabitants, also, had been seen; and, at one place, communication with them had been obtained. The accounts did, certainly, not give any flattering prospect, that much interesting knowledge was likely to be acquired under these heads, unless a strait, or inland sea, were found; but the accounts were not only confined as to place, but, with the exception of Dampier's, were very imperfect; and the great extent of the coasts, in the richest climates of the world, excited hopes that a close investigation would not only be of advantage to natural history, but would bring to light something useful in the mineral or vegetable kingdoms.

In the case of penetrating the interior of Terra Australis, whether by a great river, or a strait leading to an inland sea, a superior country, and perhaps a different people, might be found, the knowledge of which could not fail to be very interesting, and might prove advantageous to the nation making the discovery.

PRIOR DISCOVERIES IN TERRA AUSTRALIS.

SECTION III.

SOUTH COAST.

Discovery of Nuyts. Examination of Vancouver: of D'Entrecasteaux. Conclusive Remarks.

NUYTS. 1627. (Atl. Pl. I.)

No historical fact seems to be less disputed, than that the South Coast of New Holland was first discovered in January 1627: whether it were the 26th, according to _De Hondt_, or the 16th, as is expressed on _Thevenot's_ chart, is of very little import. It is generally said, that the ship was commanded by PIETER NUYTS; but as Nuyts, on his arrival at Batavia, was sent ambassador to Japan, and afterwards made governor of Formosa, it seems more probable that he was a civilian, perhaps Company's first merchant on board, rather than captain of the ship: the land discovered has, however, always borne his name.

The Dutch recital says--"In the year 1627, the South Coast of the _Great_ SOUTH LAND was accidentally discovered by the ship the _Gulde Zeepaard_, outward-bound from Fatherland, for the space of a thousand miles."

This discovery has always been considered as of importance. A memoir was published at Amsterdam in 1718, "to prove, that NUYTS' LAND, being in the fifth climate, between 34° and 36° of latitude; it ought to be, like all other countries so situated, one of the most habitable, most rich, and most fertile parts of the world." * The journal of this discovery seems to have been lost; or possibly was either suppressed or destroyed, according to what is thought to have been the Dutch policy of that time. It was, therefore, from the chart, and the above passage in the recital, alone, that any particulars could be drawn. If the extent of a _thousand miles_ were taken to be in a straight line, and to commence at Cape Leeuwin, the end of Nuyts' Land would reach nearly to the longitude of 135° east of Greenwich; but if, as was probable, the windings of the shore were included, and a deduction made of one-sixth to one-seventh in the distance, then the Isles of St. Francis and St. Peter might be expected to be found between the 132nd and 133rd degrees of east longitude.

[* _Hist. des Nav. aux Terres Australes_. Tome I. page 429.]

VANCOUVER. 1791.

With the exception of Mons. de St. Alouarn, who is said to have anchored near Cape Leeuwin in 1772, the south coast of Terra Australis, though occupying much attention from geographers, seems to have been left unvisited from 1627 to 1791. In this year, captain GEORGE VANCOUVER, being on his way to North-west America, made the South Coast on Sept. 26, at _Cape Chatham_, in latitude 35° 3' south, and longitude 116° 35' east, not many leagues beyond where Nuyts appears to have commenced his discovery. He sailed eastward, from thence, along the shore, till the 28th; when he anchored in a sound, to which was given the name of KING GEORGE THE III.

The country in the neighbourhood of the Sound, and of its two harbours, was found to be agreeably variegated in form; to be clothed with grass and wood; and, though generally more barren than fertile, yet affording many spots capable of cultivation. No considerable river was discovered; but fresh water was every where abundant for domestic purposes; and the climate was judged to be as healthy as the temperature was found to be agreeable. Kangaroos did not appear to be scarce; nor were the woods ill tenanted by the feathered tribes; and reptiles and other noxious animals were not numerous. Amongst the aquatic birds, black swans and wild ducks held a distinguished place; but, like the land animals, were very shy: sea and shell fish were in tolerable abundance.

None of the inhabitants were seen; but from the appearance of their deserted huts, they were judged to be the same miserable race as those of the North-west and East Coasts. No marks of canoes, nor the remains of fish, even shell fish, were found near their habitations; and this circumstance, with the shyness of the birds and quadrupeds, induced a belief that the natives depended principally upon the woods for their subsistence.

Captain Vancouver quitted King George's Sound on Oct. 11, and proceeded eastward in the examination of the coast; but unfavourable winds prevented him from doing this so completely as he wished, and some parts were passed unseen; and the impediments to his progress at length caused the examination to be quitted, in favour of prosecuting the main design of his voyage. The last land seen was _Termination Island_, in latitude 34° 32' and longitude 122° 8'. The coast to the north of this island appeared much broken; but, although in Nuyts' chart a considerable group of islands were laid down in about that situation, captain Vancouver rather supposed it to be a continued main land.*

[* For captain Vancouver's account of his proceedings and observations on the South Coast, see his _Voyage round the World_, Vol. I. page 28-57.]

So far as this examination extended, the general form of the coast was found to correspond with that of the old chart; nor was any material error found in Nuyts' latitude. A further, and more extended confirmation of the Dutch navigator's discovery, and of its having been well laid down, considering the period at which it was done, was obtained in the following year.

D'ENTRECASTEAUX. 1792.

The French rear-admiral BRUNY D'ENTRECASTEAUX, having been sent out with the ships _La Recherche_ and _L'Espérance_ in search of the unfortunate La Pérouse made the south coast of New Holland on Dec. 5, 1792, about twenty-eight leagues to the north-west of Cape Chatham.* The coast, from the South-west Cape to the longitude of Termination Island, was explored by the admiral, with all the minuteness that the state of the weather could permit; and he was, generally, able to keep the shore closer abord than captain Vancouver had done, and to supply the deficiencies in his chart. The broken land to the north of Termination Island was found to be conformable to what Nuyts had laid down: it made part of a very extensive group of islands, one of which afforded timely shelter to the French ships on Dec. 9, from a gale which had arisen at south-west.

[*When the Investigator sailed, the journal of _M. Labillardière_, naturalist in D'Entrecasteaux's expedition, was the sole account of the voyage made public: but M. DE ROSSEI one of the principal officers, has since published the voyage from the journals of the rear-admiral and it is from this last that what follows is extracted.]

They remained a week at this anchorage, whilst the naturalists explored the surrounding country, and the surveyors examined such of the islands as were visible from the ships. Seals, penguins, and some kangaroos were seen; but no fresh water, accessible to shipping, could any where be found; the country within their reach being sandy and sterile. From Dec. 17 to 24, the ships were occupied in coasting eastward, along the outskirt of the group of islands, and then found it to terminate at 2½° of longitude from its commencement. The main land at the back of the islands had been generally visible, but at too great a distance for the precise form of the coast to be ascertained, or to allow of fixing the positions of, or even seeing, many of the inner islands and reefs.

This group is the first of the two marked upon the chart of Nuyts; and admiral D'Entrecasteaux praises the general accuracy of the Dutch navigator, in that "the latitude of Point Leeuwin, and of the coast of Nuyts' Land, were laid down with an exactness, surprising for the remote period in which they had been discovered." This liberal acknowledgment renders it the more extraordinary, that in the appellation which it was judged proper to give to this extensive group, the French admiral had not rather thought of doing honour to the original discoverer, or to the _Gulde Zeepaard_, than to his own ship; more especially, as his examination was far from being complete. This would have been more conformable to his general practice; but ARCHIPEL DE LA RECHERCHE was the name adopted.

Beyond the archipelago, the South Coast was found to trend east-north-eastward; without any island lying off it, or presenting any place of shelter. The shore was either a steep calcareous cliff, of an equal height, or low and sandy, with a few naked hillocks behind; and above these, no hill., nor any thing of the interior country, could be discerned. "It is not surprising," says D'Entrecasteaux., "that Nuyts has given no details of this barren coast; for its aspect is so uniform, that the most fruitful imagination could find nothing to say of it."

1793.

Frustrated in his expectation of procuring fresh water, and having no more than sufficient, at a short allowance, to reach Van Diemen's Land, the admiral abandoned the investigation of the South Coast, on Jan. 3; being then in latitude 31° 49' south, and longitude 131° 38½' east of Greenwich.

In the otherwise excellent charts constructed by M. BEAUTEMPS-BEAUPRÉ, geographical engineer on board La Recherche, there is an extraordinary omission, arising either from the geographer, or the conductor of the voyage. In the first 12° of longitude no soundings are marked along the coast; whilst, in the last 50, they are marked with tolerable regularity: the cause of this difference is not explained.

In comparing the French chart with that of Nuyts, it appeared that the rear-admiral had not proceeded so far along this coast as the Dutch navigator had done; for he did not see the islands of St. Francis and St. Peter, nor the reef marked about thirty leagues to the west of them. The point, however, where D'Entrecasteaux's examination terminated, was, in all probability, within a few leagues of that reef; and the end of Nuyts' discovery would be between 133° and 134° to the east of Greenwich.

CONCLUSIVE REMARKS.

The South Coast was not known, in 1801, to have been visited by any other than the three navigators, _Nuyts_, _Vancouver_, and _D'Entrecasteaux_.* The coast line, from Cape Leeuwin to near the longitude of 132°, was generally so well ascertained, and the charts of Vancouver and D'Entrecasteaux appeared to be so good, that little remained in this space for future visitors to discover. At two places, the country and productions near the sea-side had also been examined; though no communication had any where been obtained with the inhabitants. It was known also from Nuyts, that at 133° or 134° of east longitude, commenced a second archipelago; and that the coast began there to assume an irregular form; but in what direction it trended, whether to the south-eastward for Bass' Strait, or northward for the Gulph of Carpentaria, was altogether uncertain.

[* It afterwards appeared, that lieutenant James Grant had discovered a part of it in 1800, in his way to Port Jackson with His Majesty's brig Lady Nelson.]

The great point, then, which required to be ascertained, was the form of the land from longitude 133° to 146° east, and from south latitude 32° to 38½°; comprising a space of two hundred and fifty leagues in a straight line. What rendered a knowledge of this part more particularly interesting, was the circumstance of no considerable river having been found on any of the coasts of Terra Australis previously explored: but it was scarcely credible that, if this vast country were one connected mass of land, it should not contain some large rivers; and if any, this unknown part was one of two remaining places, where they were expected to discharge themselves into the sea.

The apparent want of rivers had induced some persons to think, that Terra Australis might be composed of two or more islands, as had formerly been suspected by the Dutch, and by Dampier; whilst others, believing in the continuity of the shores, thought this want might arise from the interior being principally occupied by a mediterranean sea; but it was generally agreed, that one end of the separating channels, or otherwise the entrance, if such existed, into the supposed sea, would most likely be found in this unexplored part of the South Coast.

Besides the solution of this important geographical problem, something remained to be done upon the parts already seen. The main land behind the first archipelago, as also the inner islands, were yet to be examined for harbours, where refreshment for ships might be obtained; a comparison of the persons and usages of the inhabitants, with those in other parts of this vast country, was desirable; and, although little utility could be drawn from the known productions at the two points visited, it might reasonably be hoped, that an investigation of a coast so extensive, would not fail to produce much useful information.

Many circumstances, indeed, united to render the south coast of Terra Australis one of the most interesting parts of the globe, to which discovery could be directed at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Its investigation had formed a part of the instructions to the unfortunate French navigator La Pérouse, and afterwards of those to his countryman D'Entrecasteaux; and it was, not without some reason, attributed to England as a reproach, that an imaginary line of more than two hundred and fifty leagues extent, in the vicinity of of one of her colonies, should have been so long suffered to remain traced upon the charts, under the title Of UNKNOWN COAST. This comported ill with her reputation as the first of maritime powers; and to do it away was, accordingly, a leading point in the instructions given to the Investigator.

PRIOR DISCOVERIES IN TERRA AUSTRALIS.

SECTION IV

EAST COAST, WITH VAN DIEMEN'S LAND.