irty miles from the
sloop's deck, that it can be much less. The publication of Mr. Bass'
remarks upon the soil and productions of this part of Van Diemen's Land
dispenses me from entering upon those subjects; it is sufficient to say,
that the reports of them were so favourable as to induce the
establishment of a colony on the banks of the Derwent, four years
afterward; and that the discoveries which have since been made are marked
in the chart.

1799.

The last day of December and the first of January were occupied in
beating down to the entrance of the river.

Jan. 2. The wind blew strong from the south-east, with heavy rain; and
finding no advantage could be made by beating in Storm Bay, we ran into
D'Entrecasteaux's Channel, passed the large _North-west Port_, and
anchored in Pruen Cove, in 4 fathoms. We landed, so soon as the rain
cleared away, and found a small creek in which the water was fresh at a
few hundred yards above where it falls into the cove. A tree had been
felled on the bank, probably in 1793 or 4 by Mr. Hayes, who called this
stream Amelia's River; but it would be very difficult to fill casks here,
except when long continued rains should bring the fresh water to the
entrance of the creek. The valley through which it comes from the
westward, seemed to be of a rich, though damp soil.

On Jan. 3, having a breeze at north-west, we got under way at daylight;
and after repassing the northern entrance of D'Entrecasteaux's Channel,
steered across Storm Bay. At two clock I had the following bearings:

Tasman's Head. S. 37 deg. W.
Cape Frederik Henry, S. 71 W.
Quoin Island, distant six miles, N. 28 W.
Low point, distant 11/4 miles, N. 6 E.
Cape Raoul,* distant 3 miles, S. 71 E.

[* This is the cape which, from its appearance, I had called by the
descriptive name of _Cape Basaltes_; not knowing that D'Entrecasteaux, or
any other navigator, had previously affixed an appellation. I give it up
the more readily, because it is said these columns are not strictly
basaltes.]

Cape Pillar opened round Cape Raoul at E. 5 deg. N., and the distance run
from one to the other was nine miles. These two high, columnar capes are
the extreme points of the land which captain Furneaux took to be Maria's
Island. Between them, the shore falls back about four miles, and forms a
small bay at the head, where there appeared to be shelter against all
winds except those from the sout