on a mind and body strong and
vigorous, and being endowed with great good sense, ingenuity, and
observation, requested the governor to allow him a boat, and permit him
to man her with volunteers from the King's ships; proposing to go along
the coast, and make such observations as might be in his power. The
governor readily consenting, he set out, as well provided as the size of
his boat would allow; and in her, against much adverse wind and bad
weather, he persevered, as far to the southward as the latitude 40
degrees 00 minutes, visiting every opening in the coast; but only in one
place, to the southward and westward of Point Hicks, finding a harbour
capable of admitting ships. There was every appearance of an extensive
strait, or rather an open sea, between the latitudes of 39 degrees and 40
degrees south, and that Van Diemen's land consisted (as had been
conjectured) of a group of islands lying off the southern coast of the
country.

It appeared from Mr. Bass's account, that there was but very little good
ground to the southward. His occasional excursions into the interior,
situated as he found himself with an open boat, in which he could carry
but a small stock of provisions, could not be very extensive; he,
however, went far enough to discover that there was but little good land
near the sea; but, had it even been superior to those parts which were
known, the want of harbours, even for small vessels, would lessen its
value much. He regretted that he had not been possessed of a better
vessel, which would have enabled him to circumnavigate Van Diemen's land.

In the _Francis_, which was at this time on her passage to the
island where the _Sydney Cove_ was wrecked, the governor had sent
Lieutenant Flinders of the _Reliance_, a young gentleman well
qualified for the purpose, who was instructed to make what observations
he was able relative to the anchorage and situation of those islands.

Mr. Bass, on his return, picked up, on an island near the coast, the
seven men who, it may be remembered, were a part of those who ran off
with a settler's boat, and had been left in this place by their
companions. Being utterly incapable of taking them into his boat, he put
them upon the main land, furnished them with a part of his provisions for
their support, and a gun with some ammunition for their protection. Two
who were ill he took into his boat, and left the other five to begin
their march to the northward, at the distance o