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of the coast on the north side, remained as laid down by Mr. Bass, with
all the uncertainty attending the navigation of an open boat.

On the east coast of New South Wales, from Bass' Strait to Bustard Bay in
latitude 24 deg., the shore might be said to be well explored; but from
thence northward to Cape York, there were several portions which had
either been passed by captain Cook in the night, or at such a distance in
the day time, as to render their formation doubtful: The coast from 15 deg.
30' to 14 deg. 30' was totally unknown.

The following openings or bights had been seen and named by captain Cook,
but were yet unexamined: _Keppel_ and _Shoal-water Bays_; _Broad Sound_;
_Repulse_, _Edgecumbe_, _Cleveland_, _Halifax_, _Rockingham_, and _Weary
Bays_. To the northward of these were _Weymouth_, _Temple_, _Shelburne_,
and _Newcastle Bays_; and perhaps many others which distance did not
permit our great navigator to notice. There was also a numerous list of
islands, of which a few only had been examined; and several were merely
indicated from a distant view.

From 16 deg. northward to Cape York, an extensive chain of reefs had been
found to lie at a considerable distance from the coast, without side of
the islands; and two vessels from Port Jackson had met with others
further south, extending nearly from 21 deg. to 23 deg.. It was of importance to
ascertain the limits of these vast bodies of coral, were it only on
account of the ships employed in the whale fishery; but in the view to
future settlements within the tropic, it was necessary to be known
whether these reefs might form such a barrier to the coast, as to render
it inaccessible from the eastward: if not, then the open parts were to be
ascertained.

Of the persons, manners, and customs of the inhabitants, little new
information could be expected. The skirts of their country had been
examined in the southern parts, and extensive collections in natural
history made there; but to the north of _Endeavour River_, the country
had been seen only at a distance. The vast interior of this new continent
was wrapped in total obscurity; and excited, perhaps on that very
account, full as much curiosity as did the forms of the shores. This part
of the subject, however, will scarcely be thought to belong to a naval
expedition; except in so much as rivers and other inlets might conduce to
obtaining the desired information.

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On a general review of the various