50' S.,
The Land Trenches Away To The Westward, Which I Believe Forms A Deep Bay,
As We Saw From The Deck Several Smokes Arising A-Back Of The Islands That
Lay Before It, When We Could Not See The Least Signs Of Land From The Mast
Head.
From the latitude of 40 deg.
50' S., to the latitude of 39 deg. 50' S., is nothing
but islands and shoals; the land high, rocky, and barren. On the 19th, in
the latitude of 40 deg. 30' S., observing breakers about half a mile within
shore of us, we sounded, and finding but eight fathoms, immediately hauled
off, deepened our water to fifteen fathoms, then bore away and kept along
shore again. From the latitude of 39 deg. 50' to 39 deg. S., we saw no land, but
had regular soundings from fifteen to thirty fathoms. As we stood on to the
northward, we made land again in about 39 deg.; after which we discontinued our
northerly course, as we found the ground very uneven, and shoal-water some
distance off. I think it a very dangerous shore to fall in with.
The coast, from Adventure Bay to the place where we stood away for New
Zealand, lies in the direction S. 1/2 W., and N. 1/2 E., about seventy-five
leagues; and it is my opinion that there are no straits between New Holland
and Van Diemen's Land, but a very deep bay. - I should have stood farther to
the northward, but the wind blowing strong at S.S.E., and looking likely to
haul round to the eastward, which would have blown right on the land, I
therefore thought it more proper to leave the coast and steer for New
Zealand.
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