of the beach is a hilly projection, from which we tacked at
one o'clock, in 12 fathoms; being then within a mile of two rocks, and
two miles from the main land. The brig was seen to the south-eastward,
and we made a long stretch off, to give her an opportunity of joining,
and at two in the morning [SATURDAY 21 AUGUST 1802] lay by for her; but
the wind veering to south-west at five, we stretched in for the land, and
approached some rocky islets, part of the Harvey's Isles of captain Cook,
of which, and of the main coast as far as Island Head, Mr. Westall made a
sketch (Atlas, Plate XVIII. View 7). At half past nine, when we tacked
from Harvey's Isles, I was surprised to see trees upon them resembling
the pines of Norfolk Island; none such having been before noticed upon
this coast, nor to my knowledge, upon any coast of Terra Australis. Pines
were also distinguished upon a more southern islet, four miles off, the
same which had been the northern extreme at the preceding noon; and
behind it was a deep bight in the land where there seemed to be shelter.
The breeze had then shifted to south, and the Lady Nelson being to
windward, the signal was made for her to look for anchorage; but the brig
being very leewardly, we passed her and stood into the bight by an
opening between the islets of one mile wide and from 10 to 7 fathoms in
depth. On the soundings decreasing to 5, we tacked and came to an anchor
near the pine island in the entrance, in 7 fathoms coarse sand, exposed
between N. 75 deg. and S. 23 deg. E, and the wind was then at south-east; but
having a fair passage by which we could run out to the northward., in
case of necessity, I did not apprehend any danger to the vessels.

[EAST COAST. PORT BOWEN.]

Instead of a bight in the coast, we found this to be a port of some
extent; which had not only escaped the observation of captain Cook, but
from the shift of wind, was very near being missed by us also. I named it
PORT BOWEN, in compliment to captain James Bowen of the navy; and to the
hilly projection on the south side of the entrance (see the sketch), I
gave the appellation of Cape Clinton, after colonel Clinton of the 85th,
who commanded the land, as captain Bowen did the sea forces at Madeira,
when we stopped at that island

A boat was despatched with the scientific gentlemen to the north side,
where the hills rise abruptly and have a romantic appearance; another
went to the same place to haul the seine at a small