It Resembles The Isle Of Wight As Near As Possible From The Water.
I Called This Part Of The Coast
(Which falls into the bottom of a small
bay from Cape Danger to the very low land), Wight's Land in
Honour of
Captain Wight, R.N., son-in-law to Commissioner Schanck.
"December 8th. At one made sail to the eastward. At 8 P.M. Cape Albany
Otway bearing west 18 or 20 miles we made a very high and lofty cape
covered with trees to the water's edge as is all the country round it.
From this cape the land breaks short round to the northward when I lost
it. We had now a fair wind and might have done a great deal during the
night but I had my doubts whether this land which fell off to the
northward should not have been followed and kept on board, as from a
small chart given to me by Sir Joseph Banks I found that, as far as the
coast had been surveyed the land trained off to the northward in the same
form nearly as it did here from Cape Patton - with this difference that
the cape I allude to on the chart had several islands lying off it.
Neither did the latitude exactly correspond and the land which it laid
down running to the northward was low and bushy, whereas that which I saw
was high with large forests of trees and no islands near it. I therefore
chose the middle road. Made sail and ran 60 miles eastward judging if it
was a bay I should see the eastern extremity of it. At daylight, however,
we could see nothing anywhere from the masthead, but the looming of the
land we had left behind. We now bore up and ran north by west and at six
we saw the land again ahead forming a very deep bay, which I could not
see the bottom of from the masthead.* (* (Note in log.) Had Grant
penetrated this bay he would have made a great discovery for he would
have found Port Phillip. However, from the evidence contained in his
chart he named the indentation in the coast Governor King's Bay. In
Grant's narrative appears the following note by Governor King. "If such a
deep bay as this actually exists it favours the idea of New South Wales
being insulated by a Mediterranean sea. However, this the Lady Nelson
must determine in the voyage she is now gone upon. P.G.K.") At eight the
land was observed bearing from us east-south-east extending farther to
the southward than I could see. Being now certain of our route I hauled
up east-south-east and named this bay after Governor King. It is one of
the longest we have yet met with. Cape Albany Otway forms the westernmost
and the South Cape the easternmost headlands, the distance of about 120
miles due east-south-east.
"December 9th. At 4 P.M. saw several islands bearing east-south-east.
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