W distant five or six leagues, induced
Mr. Flinders to think it probable that there might be an opening to the
northward of it.

In the afternoon of Sunday the 18th, there being but little wind, and the
weather fine, they were attended by several very large spermaced whales.
They were not more than twice the sloop's length from her, coming up on
either side at times very near her; and remained playing, or perhaps
feeding, in this way for more than two hours.

Their appearance was followed in the evening by a gale from the SW which
reduced them to their storm sails, and compelled them to keep off and on
during the night. The wind, however, moderating the next day, and a
southerly current having been in their favour, Mr. Flinders concluded his
labours at dusk in the evening of the 20th; at which time he secured his
little vessel alongside his Majesty's ship the _Reliance_ in Port
Jackson.

The observations which were made by Mr. Flinders on the set of the
current at different parts of the coast, being directly opposite to the
remarks of Captain Cook, it may be proper to state them. That great and
able seaman says, in his notice of the current on this coast, that 'It
always ran with more force in shore than in the offing.' Now, in going to
the northward the sloop was kept as near in shore as circumstances would
permit; but the whole sum of southing produced in eight entire days, from
latitude 33 degrees 45 minutes to 24 degrees 22 minutes south, was
sixty-five miles, almost the whole of which were lost off the Three
Brothers and Smoky Cape, when their distance from the shore was more
than in general it used to be. To counteract this, they had twenty-five
miles of northing, reducing the current to thirty miles in eight days,
which could scarcely be called a current.

On the other hand, their average distance from the shore, when on their
return, was about twelve leagues, or barely within sight of the land; and
in running the same difference of latitude in twelve days the sum of the
southing was two hundred and eleven miles, and the northing but one mile
and a half. Out of this, thirty-four miles were gained in one day when
their distance off the shore was the greatest, being between twenty and
twenty-five leagues.

From these data it should appear, that the current was strongest at the
distance of five, and from thence to twenty or more leagues; and within
that, there was some set to the northward. But Mr. Flinders tho