inquiry, than the main object of our voyage would at prefent allow. I
was therefore compelled to relinquilh, with great reluctance, the favorite
projeCt of further examining the coaft of this unknown though interefting
country; and, directing our route over an hitherto untraverfed part of
thefe feas, we proceeded without further delay towards the pacific
ocean.
CH A P TER
C H A P T E R III.
Remarks on the country and productions on part o f the fouth-wejl coaft o f
New Holland— Extraordinary devaftation by fir e— Aftronomical and
nautical obfervations.
A L T H O U G H the confiderations adverted to in the foregoing chapter,
rendered it impracticable to explore the s.w. coaft of New Holland to .
the extent my wifhes firlt led me to imagine, and prevented our afcertain-
ing its boundary and connection with, or reparation from, Van Dieman’s
Land; yet the information we have acquired, will open a field to thofe
whofe duty it may hereafter be to perform that talk; by fhewing, that its
s.w. part maybe approached with the greatefl fafety, as its fhores are bold
with regular foundings to the diflance of 8 or 9 leagues; and by the dif-
covery of the very excellent harbour in King George the Third’s Sound.
Confidering therefore its fituation and conveniences as likely to become
o f material importance to thofe whofe purfuits may induce them to navigate
this and the pacific ocean, it may not be uninterefting to detail, in
a more particular manner, the circumftances that occurred during our
vifit to a country hitherto fo little known to Europeans.
Our furvey comprehended an extent o f 110 leagues, in which fpace we
faw no other haven or place of fecurity for Ihipping than the found before
mentioned; notwithstanding the opinion of Dampier, who has confidered
the whole of the weftern part of New Holland as confifting of a duller of
itlands. Hewas undoubtedly ajudicious obferver, o f very fuperior talents ;
and, it is molt likely, formed his opinion from the many iflands which he
found compofing the exterior coaft of the n. w. part of this extenfive country.
However juft may be his conclufions as to that part of New Holland,
they