A Voyage to Terra Australis Volume I Part 12

The 4th station was on Sloping Point, where an aculeated ant-eater was caught, and some quartz crystals were picked up from the sh.o.r.e. 5th, At the east side of _Kent's Bay_, under the peak of Cape Barren. This peak I wished to ascend, in order to obtain a view of the surrounding lands, particularly of an extensive piece to the southward, which, from the smokes continually seen there, was supposed to be a part of Van Diemen's Land; but the almost impenetrable brush wood, with which the sides of the peak and surrounding hills were covered, defeated my purpose.

The 6th station was at _Pa.s.sage Point_. The 7th, on Cone Point, where the number of seals exceeded every thing we had, any of us, before witnessed; and they were smaller, and of a different species from those which frequented Armstrong's Channel. Instead of the bull-dog nose, and thinly-set, sandy hair, these had sharp-pointed noses, and the general colour of the hair approached to a black; but the tips were of a silver grey, and underneath was a fine, whitish, thick fur. The commotion excited by our presence, in this a.s.semblage of several thousand timid animals, was very interesting to me, who knew little of their manners.

The young cubs huddled together in the holes of the rocks, and moaned piteously; those more advanced scampered and rolled down to the water, with their mothers; whilst some of the old males stood up in defence of their families, until the terror of the sailors bludgeons became too strong to be resisted. Those who have seen a farm yard, well stocked with pigs, calves, sheep, oxen, and with two or three litters of puppies, with their mothers, in it, and have heard them all in tumult together, may form a good idea of the confused noise of the seals at Cone Point. The sailors killed as many of these harmless, and not unamiable creatures, as they were able to skin during the time necessary for me to take the requisite angles; and we then left the poor affrighted mult.i.tude to recover from the effect of our inauspicious visit.

My 8th station was taken, in returning to the schooner, upon the south end of the eastern _Pa.s.sage Isle_; 9th, the south-west end of the western Pa.s.sage Isle; and 10th, the south-east point of Clarke's Island. The 11th and last station was at _Look-out Head_, the bearings from which included some parts of the southern land, between the extremes of S. 20 20' E.

and S. 59 35' W. At these different stations, the needle of the theodolite was sometimes found to vary one or two degrees from itself, as it had done at Preservation Island; an effect which I attribute to the attraction of the rocks, having since experienced the same, and even greater, differences in most places where the rocks, as here, are granitic.

In the wider parts of Armstrong's Channel there are many shoals of sand on each side, but a pa.s.sage of sufficient width and depth is swept out by the tides, for ships to go through in safety. The bottom is either rocky or sandy: rocky in the deep and narrow parts, where the tides run three or four miles in an hour; and sandy in the bights and shoaler places. The sand of the beaches is mostly granitic, but it sometimes consists of black metallic particles, such as are found in the stone of the islands.

It was not until Feb. 25 that the remains of the Sydney-Cove's cargo were all on board, and that a favourable change in the wind permitted us to sail for Port Jackson. These four days of detention enabled me to continue the survey along the south side of Preservation Island, and as far as the _Bay of Rocks_ upon that of Cape Barren. A meridian alt.i.tude from the south horizon, observed under more favourable circ.u.mstances than two others before taken, gave 40 28' for the lat.i.tude of Hamilton's Road. The longitude is 19' 20" west of Cape Barren; and therefore should be 148 6' east of Greenwich. It is high water in the road, according to Mr. Hamilton's report, _half an hour before_ the moon pa.s.ses over the meridian; but from what I observed, without paying particular attention to it, the tide did not appear to flow so late by an hour: the medium rise was about seven feet, as at Port Jackson.

Well tasted fresh water is collected, at certain seasons, in small pools near the east end of Preservation Island; but that which drains from the rocks was first used by the Sydney-Cove's crew, until several of them died. Small runs or pools of water are to be found almost every where under the high parts of Cape-Barren Island, and it is probable there may be some upon Clarke's Island; but at the Pa.s.sage Isles we found it difficult to obtain wherewithal to satisfy our thirst.

The stone of which the southern, and probably the whole of Furneaux's Islands are composed, is mostly a whitish granite, but sometimes inclining to red; and is full of small, black specks. Quartz seems to have a more than usual share in its composition, and we occasionally found crystals of that substance upon the sh.o.r.es. The black specks were thought to be grains of tin, and to have communicated a deleterious quality to the water used by the shipwrecked people. The exceptions to the general prevalence of granite were few: they consisted of some black, and some grey slate, in thin _strata_, placed nearly perpendicular to the horizon; but even here, the granite had pervaded the fissures of the _strata_; and, in two instances, a substance which, from its appearance, I supposed to be a toad stone, had insinuated itself.

Some of the trees on Preservation Island had partly undergone a peculiar transformation. The largest of them were not thicker than a man's leg, and the whole were decayed; but whilst the upper branches continued to be of wood, the roots at the surface, and the trunks up to a certain height, were of a stony substance resembling chalk. On breaking these chalky trunks, which was easily done, rings of the brown wood sometimes appeared in them, as if imperfectly converted; but in the greater number, nothing more than circular traces remained. The situation in which these trees were princ.i.p.ally found, is a sandy valley near the middle of the island, which was likewise remarkable for the quant.i.ty of bones of birds and small quadrupeds, with which it was strewed. The petrefactions were afterwards more particularly examined by Mr. Ba.s.s, who adopted the opinion that they had been caused by water.

Upon Cape-Barren Island the hills rise to a considerable height, that of the peak, which does not much exceed some others, being near twelve hundred feet; but on the smaller islands there is no elevation of importance. The upper parts of all are generally crowned with huge lumps of granite; and upon many of these, particularly on Rum Island, is a smaller, unconnected, round lump, which rests in a hollow at the top, as a cup in its saucer; and I observed with a gla.s.s, that there was a stone of this kind at the summit of the peak of Cape Barren. The lower parts of the islands are commonly sandy; and, in several places under the hills, swamps and pools are formed. The water in these is generally tinged red; and in one, situate between Pa.s.sage and Cone Points, it had so much the appearance of blood, that I went to taste it; but, except being a little brackish, found nothing remarkable. Whether the water become thus tinged, in its course down the hills, by earthy or metallic substances, or acquire its colour from the roots and leaves of vegetables, I am unable to decide; but think the former most probable.

All the islands are over-run with brush wood, amongst which, in the more sheltered and less barren parts, are mixed a few stunted trees, which seem to shed their bark annually, and to be of the heavy kind called gum tree at Port Jackson. The brush wood overspreads even the rocks where it can get the least hold; it is commonly impenetrable, and on the south and west sides of the islands a.s.sumes a depressed, creeping form, strongly indicative of the strength and generality of the winds from those quarters. Many of the sandy parts are covered with the ha.s.socks of wiry gra.s.s, which const.i.tute the favourite retreat of the sooty petrel; and at the back of the sh.o.r.es, there is frequently some extent of ground where the creeping, salt plants grow, and to which the penguins princ.i.p.ally resort. To this general account of the scanty vegetable productions of Furneaux's Islands, may be added several low shrubs, and a gra.s.s which grows on the moist grounds near the borders of the pools and fresh swamps, and which, though coa.r.s.e, might serve as food for cattle.

Of the animal productions of the islands, the list is somewhat more extensive. Those for which they are indebted to the sea, are seals of two kinds, sooty petrels, and penguins. The hair seal appears to frequent the sheltered beaches, points, and rocks; whilst the rocks and rocky points exposed to the buffettings of the waves are preferred by the handsomer and superior species, which never condescends to the effeminacy of a beach. A point or island will not be greatly resorted to by these animals, unless it slope gradually to the water, and the sh.o.r.e be, as we term it, steep to. This is the case with the islet lying off Cape Barren, and with Cone Point; with parts of the Pa.s.sage Isles, and the south end of Clarke's Island; and at these places only, did I see fur seals in any number.

The sooty petrel, better known at sea under the name of _sheerwater_, frequents the tufted, gra.s.sy parts of all the islands in astonishing numbers. It is known that these birds make burrows in the ground, like rabbits; that they lay one or two enormous eggs in these holes, and bring up their young there. In the evening, they come in from sea, having their stomachs filled with a gelatinous substance gathered from the waves; and this they eject into the throats of their offspring, or retain for their own nourishment, according to circ.u.mstances. A little after sunset, the air at Preservation Island used to be darkened with their numbers; and it was generally an hour before their squabblings ceased, and every one had found its own retreat. The people of the Sydney Cove had a strong example of perseverance in these birds. The tents were pitched close to a piece of ground full of their burrows, many of which were necessarily filled up from walking constantly over them; yet, notwithstanding this interruption, and the thousands of birds destroyed, for they const.i.tuted a great part of their food during more than six months, the returning flights continued to be as numerous as before; and there was scarcely a burrow less, except in the s.p.a.ces actually covered by the tents. These birds are about the size of a pigeon, and when skinned and dried in smoke we thought them pa.s.sable food. Any quant.i.ty could be procured, by sending people on sh.o.r.e in the evening. The sole process was to thrust in the arm up to the shoulder, and seize them briskly; but there was some danger of grasping a snake at the bottom of the burrow, instead of a petrel.

The penguin of these islands is of the kind denominated _little_; the back and upper parts are of a lead-coloured blue; the fore and under parts, white. They were generally found sitting on the rocks, in the day time, or in caverns near the water side. They burrow in the same manner as the sooty petrel; but, except in the time of rearing their young, do not seem, like it, to return to their holes every night. The places preferred for breeding are those at the back of the sh.o.r.e, where the sand is overspread with salt plants; and they were never found intermixed with the petrels, nor far from the salt water. Their flesh is so strong and fishy, that had not the skins served to make caps, rather handsome, and impenetrable to rain, the penguins would have escaped molestation.

No other quadrupeds than the kangaroo, womat, and duck-billed aculeated ant-eater were found upon the islands. The kangaroo, is of a reddish brown, and resembles the smaller species which frequents the brush woods at Port Jackson: when full grown, it weighs from forty to fifty pounds.

There were no traces of it upon the Pa.s.sage Isles; but, upon Cape-Barren and Clarke's Islands, the kangaroo, was tolerably abundant, though difficult to be procured, owing to the thickness of its retreats. There were also numbers on Preservation Island, when the Sydney Cove was first run on sh.o.r.e; but having been much hara.s.sed and destroyed, a few only were shot during the time of our stay.

Clarke's Island afforded the first specimen of the new animal, called _womat_; but I found it more numerous upon that of Cape Barren: Preservation and the Pa.s.sage Isles do not possess it. This little bear-like quadruped is known in New South Wales, and called by the natives _womat_, _wombat_, or _womback_, according to the different dialects, or perhaps to the different rendering of the wood rangers who brought the information. It burrows like the badger, and on the Continent does not quit its retreat till dark; but it feeds at all times on the uninhabited islands, and was commonly seen foraging amongst the sea refuse on the sh.o.r.e, though the coa.r.s.e gra.s.s seemed to be its usual nourishment. It is easily caught when at a distance from its burrow; its flesh resembles lean mutton in taste, and to us was acceptable food.

Another species of this animal has been discovered in New South Wales, which lives in the tops of the trees and, in manners, bears much resemblance to the sloth.

The aculeated ant-eater was not found on any other of the islands than that of Cape Barren: it is exceedingly fat, the flesh has a somewhat aromatic taste, and was thought delicious.

Of the birds which frequent Furneaux's Islands, the most valuable are the goose and black swan; but this last is rarely seen here, even in the freshwater pools, and except to breed, seems never to go on sh.o.r.e. The goose approaches nearest to the description of the species called _bernacle_; it feeds upon gra.s.s, and seldom takes to the water. I found this bird in considerable numbers on the smaller isles, but princ.i.p.ally upon Preservation Island; its usual weight was from seven to ten pounds, and it formed our best repasts, but had become shy. Gannets, s.h.a.gs, gulls, and red-bills were occasionally seen; as also crows, hawks, paroquets, and a few smaller birds. Fish were not plentiful, but some were taken with hook and line from the rocks.

Speckled yellow snakes, of three or four feet in length, were found upon Preservation Island, and exist, no doubt, upon the larger isles. They sometimes get into the burrows of the sooty petrel, and probably destroy the young. I saw one dragged out by a sailor who expected to have taken a bird; but, being quick in his movements, he was not bitten. These snakes possess the venomous fangs; but no person experienced the degree of virulence in their poison.

The schooner was ready to sail on Feb. 25; and the wind from the westward being fresh and favourable, we left Hamilton's Road to return to Port Jackson. It was still a matter of doubt whether the land to the south of the islands were, or were not, a part of Van Diemen's Land; and I therefore requested of Mr. Reed to make a stretch that way. At noon our lat.i.tude was 40 44 2/3', and the peak of Cape Barren bore N. 13 E.; an island which had been visited by the Sydney-Cove's people, and was represented to be a breeding place for swans, bore from N. 68 W. to west, five or six miles, and there were some smaller islets behind it.

The land lying two or three miles more to the south is sandy and low in front, but ascends in gently rising hills as it retreats into the country. Its general appearance was very different from that of Furneaux's Islands, the lower hills being covered with green gra.s.s, interspersed with clumps of wood, and the back land well clothed with timber trees.

We stretched on until the land was seen beyond 40 50'; and then veered to the northward. In this lat.i.tude, captain Furneaux says, "the land trenches away to the westward;" * and as he traced the coast from the south end of the country to this part, there could no longer be a doubt that it was joined to the land discovered by Tasman in 1642. The smokes which had constantly been seen rising from it showed that there were inhabitants; and this, combined with the circ.u.mstance of there being none upon the islands, seemed to argue a junction of Van Diemen's Land with New South Wales; for it was difficult to suppose, that men should have reached the more distant land, and not have attained the islands intermediately situated; nor was it admissible that, having reached them, they had perished for want of food. On the other hand, the great strength of the tides setting westward, past the islands, could only be caused by some exceedingly deep inlet, or by a pa.s.sage through to the southern Indian Ocean. These contradictory circ.u.mstances were very embarra.s.sing; and the schooner not being placed at my disposal, I was obliged, to my great regret, to leave this important geographical question undecided.

[* _Cook's Second Voyage_, Vol. I. page 114.]

At the time we veered to the northward, the coast of Van Diemen's Land was about three miles distant, and the furthest extreme, a low point, bore S. 15 E. two or three leagues. On repa.s.sing Cape-Barren Point at four o'clock. I obtained two sets of distances of the sun west of the moon, to pair with others of the sun on the east side, taken on the 10th, also within sight of the Cape. The mean result, freed from the errors of the tables, gave its longitude 148 20' E; being 14' more than is a.s.signed to it by captain Furneaux, but 5' less than what appears to be its real situation.

Nothing worthy of notice occurred in our pa.s.sage back to Port Jackson: we made Hat Hill on March 7, and on the 9th, anch.o.r.ed in Sydney Cove.

Mr. Ba.s.s had been returned a fortnight from his expedition in the whale boat; and he communicated all his notes and observations to be added to my chart. There seemed to want no other proof of the existence of a pa.s.sage between New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land, than that of sailing positively through it; but however anxious I was to obtain this proof, the gratification of my desire was required to be suspended by a voyage to Norfolk Island in the Reliance.

FLINDERS and Ba.s.s. 1798.

In September following, His Excellency Governor Hunter had the goodness to give me the _Norfolk_, a colonial sloop of twenty-five tons, with authority to penetrate behind Furneaux's Islands; and should a strait be found, to pa.s.s through it and return by the south end of Van Diemen's Land; making such examinations and surveys on the way as circ.u.mstances might permit. Twelve weeks were allowed for the performance of this service, and provisions for that time were put on board; the rest of the equipment was completed by the friendly care of Captain Waterhouse of the Reliance.

I had the happiness to a.s.sociate my friend Ba.s.s in this new expedition, and to form an excellent crew of eight volunteers from the king's ships; but a time keeper, that essential instrument to accuracy in nautical surveys, it was still impossible to obtain.

My report of the seals at Furneaux's Islands had induced Messrs. Bishop and Simpson, the commander and supracargo of the snow Nautilus, to prepare their vessel for a sealing speculation to that quarter; and on Oct. 7, we sailed out of Port Jackson together.*

[* Mr. Ba.s.s' Journal of observations upon the lands, etc. discovered or seen in this voyage, has been published by colonel Collins, in his _Account of the English Colony in New South Wales_, Vol. II. page 143 _et seq._; his observations will, therefore, be generally omitted in this account.]

(Atlas, Pl. VIII.)

The wind being fair, we pa.s.sed Hat Hill at four in the afternoon, and next morning, made Mount Dromedary. I took this opportunity of pa.s.sing between Montague Isle and the main; but the depth of water being uncertain, the Nautilus was desired by signal not to follow. There was no bottom with 13, and afterwards with 20 fathoms, at a mile distance from the island; and the pa.s.sage seemed perfectly free from danger, and is five or six miles wide. Mount Dromedary, from which the island lies E by N N., is the highest land upon this part of the coast; its elevation being, I think, not less than 3000 feet. The top is about three miles long, and the south end is somewhat the most elevated part; it is covered with wood, even there, but still more so down the sides; the sh.o.r.e under it is mostly a white, sandy beach.

(Atlas, Pl. VI.)

At noon the centre of the mountain bore N.N.W. four leagues; but the haziness of the weather prevented an observation being taken for the lat.i.tude, as it had before done when pa.s.sing in the Francis*. We then hauled further off the coast, with the Nautilus in company, and being near the lat.i.tude of Cape Howe, at ten o'clock, lay to until daylight, for the purpose of obtaining a good departure; but on the 9th, the wind had veered to south-west, and the weather having a bad appearance, we bore up for Two-fold Bay. The course after pa.s.sing Green Cape, was N. 16 W. seven miles to _Hayc.o.c.k Point_, and N. 44 W. three or four miles from thence to the south point of entrance to the bay; the sh.o.r.e being all along bold, and for the most part rocky. From the south point, which may be known by its reddish appearance and having a steep rock lying off it, we steered for _Snug Cove_, on the north-west side of the bay; and there anch.o.r.ed in 3 fathoms, sandy bottom, at something more than a cable's length from the small beach, and the same distance from the two points which bound the cove. In this situation, the outer red point was hidden by Snug-cove Head; and further out, in 5 fathoms, where the Nautilus anch.o.r.ed, the head and point were in a line.

[* The highest part of Mount Dromedary appears to lie in 36 19' south, and longitude 150 11' east; or about 2' south and 11' east of its position in captain Cook's chart.]

In order to make some profit of this foul wind, Mr Ba.s.s landed early next morning to examine the country, whilst I went with Mr Simpson to commence a survey of Two-fold Bay. In the way from Snug Cove, through the wood, to the long northern beach, where I proposed to measure a base line, our attention was suddenly called by the screams of three women, who took up their children and ran off in great consternation. Soon afterward a man made his appearance. He was of a middle age, unarmed, except with a _whaddie_, or wooden scimitar, and came up to us seemingly with careless confidence. We made much of him, and gave him some biscuit; and he in return presented us with a piece of gristly fat, probably of whale. This I tasted; but watching an opportunity to spit it out when he should not be looking, I perceived him doing precisely the same thing with our biscuit, whose taste was probably no more agreeable to him, than his whale was to me. Walking onward with us to the long beach, our new acquaintance picked up from the gra.s.s a long wooden spear, pointed with bone; but this he hid a little further on, making signs that he should take it on his return. The commencement of our trigonometrical operations was seen by him with indifference, if not contempt; and he quitted us, apparently satisfied that, from people who could thus occupy themselves seriously, there was nothing to be apprehended.

We measured 116 chains along the north beach, and having taken the necessary angles, returned to Snug Cove for the purpose of observing the lat.i.tude; but the thick squalls, which were continually pa.s.sing over from the south-west, prevented a sight of the sun. The survey was continued in the afternoon; and on the following morning, 11 October, the wind being still unfavourable, the west side of the bay was nearly completed.

I was preparing the artificial horizon for observing the lat.i.tude, when a party of seven or eight natives broke out in exclamation upon the bank above us, holding up their open hands to show they were unarmed. We were three in number, and, besides a pocket pistol, had two muskets. These they made no objection to our bringing, and we sat down in the midst of the party. It consisted entirely of young men, who were better made, and cleaner in their persons than the natives of Port Jackson usually are; and their countenances bespoke both good will and curiosity, though mixed with some degree of apprehension. Their curiosity was mostly directed to our persons and dress, and constantly drew off their attention from our little presents, which seemed to give but a momentary pleasure. The approach of the sun to the meridian calling me down to the beach, our visitors returned into the woods, seemingly well satisfied with what they had seen. We could perceive no arms of any kind amongst them; but I knew these people too well not to be a.s.sured that their spears were lying ready, and that it was prudent to keep a good lookout upon the woods, to prevent surprise whilst taking the observation.

Oct. 12. We sailed in the afternoon, with a breeze from the eastward; but a return of the wind to south-west, with threatening weather, induced me to bear up again in the evening; and we anch.o.r.ed on the south side of the bay. This part is not so well sheltered as Snug Cove, for the Nautilus was not quite land-locked in 3 fathoms water. The weather became very bad in the night; and, being no better on the 13th, the two vessels were completed with wood, and the country further explored; a few more bearings were also added to our materials for laying down a plan of the bay, and thus terminated our examination.

The lat.i.tude of Snug Cove on the north-west side of Two-fold Bay, and by much the best anchorage in it, is 37 4' south. The longitude, from two sets of distances of the sun west of the moon, deducting 16' for the errors of the tables, was 150 3' east of Greenwich. The variation of the azimuth compa.s.s observed on the beach, was 9 29' and of the surveying theodolite 11 8' east. My haste to complete the survey did not allow of much attention being paid to the tides; but it was high water _about nipte??? hours after_ the moon pa.s.sed over the meridian, and the general rise from six to eight feet.

Two-fold Bay is not, of itself, worthy of particular interest; but as nothing larger than boats can find shelter in any other part of this coast, from Jervis Bay, in lat.i.tude 35 6', round to Corner Inlet, or to Furneaux's Isles in 40, it thereby becomes of importance to whalers, and to other ships pa.s.sing along the coast.

Besides its lat.i.tude, Two-fold Bay may be known by Mount Dromedary, which will be seen, in moderately fine weather, at the distance of fifteen or sixteen leagues to the northward; and also by the land behind the bay lying more in hummocks than elsewhere. One of these hummocks is round, and much higher than the rest; and when it bears S. 60 W. (S. W. W.

nearly, by compa.s.s,) a course for it will bring a ship to the middle of the bay. On approaching near, she should look for two rocks, rather pointed, of which one lies off the outer north, and the other off the outer south point. Snug Cove is difficult to be distinguished by a stranger; but on coming near the rocky head, at the south-west end of the long northern beach, it will be seen on the south side of that head; and the anchor must be then ready to be let go. If the wind be from the southward, it should be dropped a little before the head shuts on with the south point of the bay, in 5 or 6 fathoms water; and in veering away, the lead should be kept out astern of the vessel. There is room for two or three small ships in Snug Cove, but not for more.

Wood, in abundance, can be procured on every side of the bay; but there are only two places where fresh water was found, and that not very good.

One of these was a swampy pond upon the low neck behind Snug Cove, where casks might be filled without much difficulty; the other is near the inferior anchorage on the south side of the bay; and both are indicated in the particular plan.

The ponds and lagoons, which are to be found at the back of most of the beaches, are frequented by ducks, teal, herons, red-bills, and some small flights of the curlew and plover. The bay seemed to be well stocked with fish; and our success with hook and line made us regret having no seine, for the hauling of which many of the beaches are particularly well adapted. It is not improbable that Two-fold Bay, like some of the open bays on the east coast of Africa, may be frequented by whales at certain seasons: of this I have no decisive proof; but the reef of rocks, called _Whale Spit_, received its name from the remains of one found there. The natives had taken their share; and the dogs, crows, and gulls were carrying away the rest.

Oct. 14. In the morning, we left Two-fold Bay with a breeze at north-east; and at sun-set, having run eleven leagues from the south point, our departure was taken from Cape Howe. I then steered S. W. by S., judging it to be the course best calculated to bring us within sight of the land supposed, by captain Furneaux, to lie in 39 south. On the 15th, at noon, our lat.i.tude was 38 34'; the weather was fine., but no land visible to the southward. In the opposite direction there was a range of hills whose centre bore N. by W. W.; at sunset it was seen as far as N. 37 W., from the sloop's deck, and from the mast head of the Nautilus, the land was distinguished, or thought to be so, as far as N.

60 W. These bearings, but particularly the last, seemed to show a strong current to the westward, for neither Mr. Ba.s.s nor myself could believe, that the hills at the back of the Long Beach were sufficiently elevated to be seen beyond fifteen leagues; I therefore took four sets of distances, of stars east and west of the moon, which placed us, an hour and a half after sunset, in longitude 149 13' east, agreeing nearly with the dead reckoning. The land, if it really were such, was consequently twenty-five or more leagues off; and if the bearing of N. 60 W. were not a mistake, it must have been thirty leagues distant in that direction.

This supposed land was visible all the afternoon; but it might possibly have been the dense clouds hanging over the hills at the back of the Long Beach, and not the land itself.

Our course to the south-westward was continued all night; but the wind having veered to W. S. W. at daybreak of the 16th, the sloop was then put on the northern tack. No land was visible in any direction; nor was there any at noon, when the observed lat.i.tude was 38 42'. The wind veered round by the south until it fixed itself at east; and when the day broke, on the 17th, the signal was made to the Nautilus, and we bore away S.W.

by W. until noon. The lat.i.tude was then 39 11' south, and we judged ourselves to be nearly in the meridian of the Sisters; the weather was tolerably fine, and had been so all the morning, yet no land was any where to be seen; and I therefore concluded, that none could lie in or near the meridian of these islands, and be in the lat.i.tude of 39.