"Tuesday, November 9th. A high sea throughout. At noon no land in sight.
Latitude observed 24 degrees 19 minutes 58 seconds south.
"Wednesday, November 10th. At Sundown Sandy Cape bore west 1/2 south
distant 10 miles Sandy Point west distant 10 or 11 miles, spit breaking
very high out to west by north, the southern extremes of land bearing
south distant 14 miles, favourable.
"Thursday, November 11th. At noon fine weather and moderate winds with a
confused sea. All sail set, the extremes of the land bearing from
south-west to north-west distant each 7 or 8 leagues. Latitude observed
25 degrees 38 minutes 50 seconds south.
"Friday, November 12th. At sundown Double Island Point west 1/2 south
distant 6 or 7 leagues; at 10 P.M. tacked to the southward...At noon the
Glass Houses on Glass House Bay south-west by south distant 6 or 7
leagues.
"Saturday, November 13th. At daylight no land in sight, at 8 A.M. saw
land bearing south-west distant 6 or 7 leagues.
"Sunday, November 14th. At 10 A.M. after a deal of rain a light air
sprung up at north. Observed Latitude Dead Reckoning 26 degrees 38
minutes 00 seconds south.
"Monday, November 15th. At 8 A.M. saw some high land bearing
west-south-west distant 8 leagues. Until noon we had light squalls and
very hard rain. No observation of Latitude 27 degrees 35 minutes 00
seconds: I conclude myself to be one degree more to South than the D.R.*
(* Dead Reckoning.) gives and not so far East by about 14 or 15 miles.
"Tuesday, November 16th. At 4 A.M. tacked to southward, set
top-gallant-sails and stay-sails; no land in sight. Latitude observed 29
degrees 07 minutes 28 seconds south.
"Wednesday, November 17th. At 4 P.M. tacked to south-west.
"Thursday, November 18th. At noon fresh clear wind at north-north-west
and a high confused sea on, set all sail we could.
"Friday, November 19th. Saw land bearing west by south distant 4 or 5
leagues this I take to be Smoaky Cape, if it is, a strong westerly
current must have run, for by account when I made the land our latitude
was 30 degrees 46 minutes 39 seconds south 3 miles to the westward of
Smoaky Cape but our longitude deducted from yesterday's time-keeper 153
degrees 50 minutes 00 seconds east 40 miles to the eastward of it which
makes the current to have set us west 28 miles. At noon Smoaky Cape bore
west 1/2 south distant 6 leagues.
"Saturday, November 20th. At noon what I supposed to be the Brothers bore
west-south-west distant 6 or 7 leagues.
"Sunday, November 21st. Fresh breezes and cloudy, latter part variable
wind and thick weather. No land in sight.
"Monday, November 22nd. At 5 A.M. the north head of Port Jackson...bore
south-west distant 4 leagues. At 8 A.M. the north head bore West distant
1 league. At 40 minutes past 10 A.M. came to with the bower in Sydney
Cove abreast of the Governor's wharf, found lying here H.M.S. Buffalo
which was returned.
"Tuesday, November 23rd. Winds all round the compass with much thunder
and lightning. Employed preparing for sea."
[Facsimile signature Jno Murray]
Commander.
CHAPTER 8.
THE FRENCH SHIPS IN BASS STRAIT.
THE FOUNDING OF HOBART.
On Murray's return to Sydney on November 22nd, 1802, after his parting
with Flinders, he learned that Commodore Baudin's ships had left the
harbour four days previously. The French vessels had made a lengthy stay
in port. The Geographe entered the Heads on June 20th, 1802, during the
absence of the Lady Nelson at the Hawkesbury, and for that reason we find
no record of her arrival in Murray's log; eight days afterwards the
Naturaliste came to Port Jackson for the second time, and joined her
consort at the anchorage in Neutral Bay.
In consequence of foul weather, Hamelin could not double the South Cape
of Van Diemen's Land, and the meeting of the ships at Sydney, after their
long separation, gave great satisfaction to those on board. The French
officers and sailors were most hospitably received by the Governor,
although England and France were still supposed to be at war, and many of
the French officers were soon on friendly terms with the chief residents
and officials. The news that peace had been concluded between the two
countries, which arrived shortly afterwards, Peron says "could add
nothing to the friendly sentiments of the English at Port Jackson but was
a subject of rejoicing on the part of our companions."
At Sydney Baudin became aware of the full extent of the English
discoveries on the southern coast. Not until then could he have known all
the results of the explorations of Grant and Murray in the Lady Nelson,
for up to the time of the arrival of the French at Sydney, only two ships
had ever visited Port Phillip. One of these was, of course, the Lady
Nelson, the other the Investigator under Captain Flinders.
Flinders had, as we have seen, met Baudin in Encounter Bay, when the
commander of the Investigator was himself ignorant of the fact that Port
Phillip had been discovered and entered by Murray. At this interview
Baudin informed Flinders that the Geographe had "explored the south coast
from Western Port to our place of meeting without finding any river,
inlet or other shelter which afforded anchorage. - This statement of
Baudin's is contradicted by Peron in his history of the voyage, who says,
that on March 30th Port Phillip was seen from the masthead of the
Geographe and was given the name Port du Debut, "but," he adds, "hearing
afterwards that it had been more minutely surveyed by the English brig
Lady Nelson and had been named Port Phillip we, with greater pleasure,
continued this last name from its recalling that of the founder of a
colony in which we met with succour so effective and so liberally
granted." Louis de Freycinet also states that the entrance to the Port
was seen by those on board the Geographe.
