te, expressing his concern for the misfortune I had met
with, and offering every refreshment the island could afford to
my seamen. On the 5th, I landed, and was received by the governor
under the usual salute given to captains of his Majesty's ships
(eleven guns). On the 13th, we left the island, having received
fresh beef for our ship's company during our stay there, and
having completed our water.

I should very ill deserve the civilities I received here, if I
were not to take this opportunity of expressing my obligations to
Lieutenant Colonel Brooke, the governor of this island, and to
every individual of his family, for their great politeness and
very friendly attention to myself and officers whilst we remained
at this island.

On the 22d of April we arrived at Portsmouth.

[An account of the observations for finding the variation of the compass...]
[The tables are included in the HTML version]

A Voyage From Port Jackson to England

* * * * *

The LORDS of the ADMIRALTY, from a zealous wish to promote the
nautical interests of Great-Britain, were pleased to permit the
publication of the following letter from CAPTAIN HUNTER; which
gives his opinion on the best course from NEW SOUTH WALES to
EUROPE; and which closes the instructive communications of that
able navigator.

To the RIGHT HONOURABLE the LORDS COMMISSIONERS of the
ADMIRALTY:

My Lords,

As the settlement, which is now established on the coast of
New South Wales, will no doubt occasion a frequent intercourse
between the Mother Country and that part of the world, I conceive
it to be a duty in those, who, from their own experience and
observation, may be qualified to give any information in their
power, relative to the navigation to and from that distant
country: it is with this hope, that I presume to trouble your
lordships with an opinion, which, I can with truth say, has been
founded on my own experience and observation.

The passage from England to the Cape of Good Hope is already
so well known that it would be superfluous in me to make any
observations upon it. From the Cape to our settlement at Port
Jackson, the navigation is now much better known, than it was
when the first convoy to that country was left in my charge; it
is a plain and easy track; any person who is acquainted with the
common rules of navigation, and finding the variations of the
compass, may, with the necessary look-out, run across that
extensive ocean without dange