and communication had with the shore without interruption from the
elements; but this, from captain Vancouver's chart and description, I did
not expect the outer sound to afford. The facility of quitting
Princess-Royal Harbour, with such a wind as would be favourable for
prosecuting the investigation of the coast, induced me so far to prefer
it to Oyster Harbour as to make it the first object of examination; and
in the morning, after we had sounded round the ship and found her so
placed as to require no immediate movement, I went in a boat for the
purpose, accompanied by the master and landscape painter; the naturalist
and some other gentlemen landing at the same time, to botanise in the
vicinity of Bald Head.

(Atlas Plate VII. View 4.)

Seal Island, where we stopped in passing, is a mass of granite, which is
accessible only at its western end, as represented in Mr. Westall's
sketch. After killing a few seals upon the shore, we ascended the hill to
search for the bottle and parchment left by captain Vancouver in 1791;*
but could find no vestiges either of it or of the staff or pile of
stones; and since there was no appearance of the natives having crossed
over from the main, I was led to suspect that a second ship had been here
before us.

[* See his Voyage, Vol. I. Page 40]

At Point Possession, on the south side of the entrance to Princess-Royal
Harbour, we had a good view of that extensive piece of water. Wood seemed
not to be abundant near the shores; and therefore a projection two or
three miles to the south-west, which was covered with trees, first
attracted my notice. The depth of water in going to it was, however, too
little for the ship; nor was there any fresh stream in the neighbourhood.
Some person, but not captain Vancouver, had nevertheless been cutting
wood there; for several trees had been felled with axe and saw. Not far
from thence stood a number of bark sheds, like the huts of the natives
who live in the forests behind Port Jackson, and forming what might be
called a small village; but it had been long deserted. Going across from
the woody point to the north side of the harbour, we there found 3
fathoms within less than half a mile of the shore; and an increasing
depth from thence out to the entrance. The soundings in the entrance were
from 5 to 7 fathoms; but the channel was too narrow to admit of getting
in without a leading wind and much caution.

THURSDAY 10 DECEMBER 1801

On Thursday morn