at no very distant period of
time.

There were no inhabitants on Wilson's Promontory; but, upon the sandy
neck, some were seen near the borders of the inlets. The few birds were
thought to have a sweeter note than those of Port Jackson.

Four small, barren islands lie seven or eight miles to the northeast,
from Sealers Cove. The northernmost of them was visited, and found to be
about one mile and a half in circuit, ascending gradually from the shore,
to a hill of moderate elevation in the centre. There was neither tree nor
shrub upon it; but the surface was mostly covered with tufts of coarse
grass, amongst which the seals had every where made paths and the petrels
their burrows. Mr. Bass was of opinion, that upon these islands, and
those lying scattered round the promontory, which are all more or less
frequented by seals, a commercial speculation on a small scale might be
made with advantage. The place of shelter for the vessel would be Sealers
Cove, on the main land; which, though small, and apparently exposed to
east winds, would be found convenient and tolerably secure: fresh water
is there abundant, and a sufficiency of wood at hand to boil down any
quantity of blubber likely to be procured.

The observed latitude of the cove was 38 deg. 50';* and the rise of tide
found to be ten or eleven feet, _ten hours and a quarter after_ the moon
passed over the meridian. The flood, after sweeping south-westward along
the great eastern beach, strikes off for the Seal Islands and the
promontory, and then runs westward, past it, at the rate of two or three
miles an hour: the ebb tide sets to the eastward. "Whenever it shall be
decided," says Mr. Bass in his journal, "that the opening between this
and Van Diemen's Land is a strait, this rapidity of tide, and the long
south-west swell that seems to be continually rolling in upon the coast
to the westward, will then be accounted for."

[* This appears to be from 10' to 15' too little: an error which probably
arose from the same cause as others before noticed.]

Feb. 2., Mr. Bass sailed to Corner Inlet; and next day fell in with the
five convicts, whom he put across to the long beach.* but was himself
unable to proceed until the 9th, in consequence of foul winds. Corner
Inlet is little else than a large flat, the greater part of it being dry
at low water. There is a long shoal on the outside of the entrance, which
is to be avoided by keeping close to the shore of the promontor