r: I have sailed over it twice, and
it has been crossed by many other ships since. The advantage of
being able to ascertain the ship's place in longitude, by
observations of the moon, will ever be satisfactory, but more
particularly through so vast a tract of sea, in which the error
of the log may considerably accumulate, when ships arrive upon
that coast where the land lies so nearly in a north and south
direction, there can be no difficulty in discovering what part of
the coast they are upon, their latitude observed will always
point that out, by applying to the general chart, given from the
authority of that most correct and able navigator Captain Cook.
When they arrive off Botany-Bay, Port Jackson, or Broken-Bay,
they will I hope receive some assistance into any of these
harbours, from the surveys done by me, copies of which I
delivered to the governor, as the different harbours were
completed, in order that fair copies might, as early as he should
judge proper, be transmitted home: but that nothing in my power
may be wanting to assist those who may be strangers on their
arrival off that part of the coast, separate copies of those
ports, with directions more full than were given with the first,
will be delivered at your lordship's board, with this, and also a
copy of the three harbours, on one sheet, connected with the
intermediate coast.

It is the return from that country immediately for Europe, by
the safest, most certain, and expeditious route, that should be
the object of our particular attention. The passage from Van
Diemen's Land westward, to the Cape of Good Hope, has never yet
been attempted; we can therefore say but little upon it; some,
however, are of opinion, that a passage may be made that way with
as much ease and expedition as by any other route. I confess that
I differ from these opinions: I admit that the passage may be
made; but I think, whenever it is tried, that it will be found
tedious, and fatiguing to the ship's company. The ship which
pursues that route should be strong and well found, and her crew
healthy and capable of bearing much blowing, and some cold
weather. It is not from a single voyage that we are to judge of
the eligibility of this passage; it will happen in some seasons
that the wind may be more favourable for making that passage than
in others; but it is on the general prevalence of westerly winds
here, and the heavy sea which is constantly rolling from the
westward, that I