ther or no it was the most southerly point of the whole land, I
continued to stretch to the S. under all the sail we could carry, till
half an hour past seven o'clock, when, seeing no likelihood of
accomplishing my design, as the wind had by this time shifted to W.S.W.,
the very direction in which we wanted to go, I took the advantage of the
shifting of the wind, and stood away from the coast.

At this time Cape George bore S. 53 deg. W. distant about seven leagues. A
small island that lies off the pitch of the cape was the only land we
could see to the south of it; and we were farther confirmed that there
was no more in that quarter by a S.W. swell which we met as soon as we
brought the cape to bear in this direction.

But we have still a stronger proof that no part of this land can extend
much, if at all, to the southward of Cape George, and that is, Captain
Furneaux's track in February, 1773, after his separation from me during
my late voyage. His log-book is now lying before me; and I find from it,
that he crossed the meridian of the land only about seventeen leagues to
the southward of Cape George, a distance at which it may very well be
seen in clear weather. This seems to have been the case when Captain
Furneaux passed it. For his log-book makes no mention of fogs or hazy
weather; on the contrary, it expressly tells us, that, when in this
situation, they had it in their power to make observations, both for
latitude and longitude, on board his ship; so that, if this land extends
farther S. than Cape George, it would have been scarcely possible that
he should have passed without seeing it.

From these circumstances we are able to determine, within a very, few
miles, the quantity of latitude that this land occupies, which does not
much exceed one degree and a quarter. As to its extent from E. to W.
that still remains undecided. We only know, that no part of it can
reach so far to the W. as the meridian of 65 deg., because, in 1773, under
that meridian, I searched for it in vain.[121]

[Footnote 121: If the French observations, as marked upon Captain Cook's
chart, and still more authentically upon that published by their own
discoverers, may be depended upon, this land doth not reach so far to
the W. as the meridian of 63 deg.; Cape Louis, which is represented as its
most westerly point, being laid down by them to the E. of that
meridian.--D.]

The French discoverers, with some reason, imagined Cape St Louis[122]