"SIR, - Seeing a vessel to windward, and judging you would wish to hear of
us...I sit down to write you a few lines before she joins us, as I
suppose she is bound to Sydney, and from her situation, I presume she is
one more who has come through the Straits. The Bee, no doubt, has arrived
long ere now. I, on the Tuesday morning after she parted, got safely into
Jarvis's Bay, and sailed early on Friday with the wind at the north-east
which only lasted 30 hours so that we have been nearly 5 days beating in
sight of Cape Howe and could not weather it, the wind being now south but
moderate.
"During our stay in Jarvis's Bay we were by no means idle, which you will
be convinced of, I hope, when we arrive. The weather I have had these 5
days convinces me that the Bee would have been a very great retard to
us...for the sea here, when it blows hard (owing, I presume, to the
current setting strong against the wind) makes it run confused and break
much...Mr. Barrallier has got nearly well of his seasickness and we have
had the azimuth compass to work, which he now understands thoroughly.
Murray is well, and all my people are comfortable and happy. - I am etc.
JAS. GRANT."
On their parting, the Britannia steered to Sydney, while the Lady Nelson
stood to the southward, meeting with a southerly wind and being so
retarded that it was 8 A.M. on the 21st before Wilson's Promontory was
sighted. When close to the rock which he had named Rodondo, Grant
observed the latitude to be south 39 degrees 4 minutes.* (* The latitude
of Wilson's Promontory is 39 degrees 7 minutes 55 seconds and the
longitude 146 degrees 25 minutes east. In the log, Lieutenant Grant gives
the former as 38 degrees 59 minutes and longitude 146 degrees 6 minutes
east.) From Wilson's Promontory, the land sloped to the north-north-west
as far as eye could reach, becoming low and level towards Cape Liptrap
and from Glennie's Islands. The Lady Nelson now followed the coast
towards Western Port. On the way her commander named a point Cape
Paterson in honour of Colonel Paterson of the New South Wales Corps.
He thus describes the manner of his coming to Western Port: "At 4 P.M. of
the 21st we had sight of the island which forms the south head of Western
Port having the likeness of a snapper's head or horseman's helmet. By
eight we were up with it. On opening the entrance of the port I found two
small islands situated about three quarters of a mile from the South Head
with apparently a good passage between them and the island forming the
harbour. From its likeness, as above mentioned, to a snapper's head, I
named it Snapper Island.* (* The Phillip Island of Bass which even at
that time was called Phillip Island, a name it is still known by.
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