was so fully
ascertained as to admit of no doubt in the minds of others. But he had
the satisfaction of placing at the end of his new coast, an extensive and
useful harbour, surrounded with a country superior to any other known in
the southern parts of New South Wales.

A voyage _expressly_ undertaken for discovery in an open boat, and in
which six hundred miles of coast, mostly in a boisterous climate, was
explored, has not, perhaps, its equal in the annals of maritime history.
The public will award to its high spirited and able conductor, alas! now
no more, an honourable place in the list of those whose ardour stands
most conspicuous for the promotion of useful knowledge.

FLINDERS. 1798.

During the time that Mr. Bass was absent on his expedition in the whale
boat, the _Francis_ schooner was again sent with captain Hamilton to the
wreck of his ship the Sydney Cove; to bring up what remained of the cargo
at Preservation Island, and the few people who were left in charge. On
this occasion I was happy enough to obtain governor Hunter's permission
to embark in the schooner; in order to make such observations serviceable
to geography and navigation, as circumstances might afford; and Mr. Reed,
the master, was directed to forward these views as far as was consistent
with the main objects of his voyage.

(Atlas. Plate VIII.)

Feb. 1, we sailed out of Port Jackson with a fair wind; and on the
following noon, the observed latitude was 35 deg. 42', being 14' south of
account. I prevailed on Mr. Reed to stand in for the land, which was then
visible through the haze; and at sunset, we reached into Bateman Bay.*
When the two rocky islets in the middle of the bay bore S. by W. 1/4 W., a
short mile, we had 8 fathoms water, and 6 fathoms a mile further in. The
north head is steep with a rock lying off it; but Bateman Bay falls back
too little from the line of the coast to afford shelter against winds
from the eastward. The margin of the bay is mostly a beach, behind which
lie sandy, rocky hills of moderate elevation.

[* The bearings in the following account are corrected, as usual, for the
variation; but I am sorry to say that the steering compasses of the
schooner proved to be bad, and there was no azimuth compass on board.]

In the morning of the 3rd, we steered S. by W. along the shore; and saw,
in latitude about 35* 58', and eight or nine miles from the south point
of Bateman Bay, a small opening like a river running sou