AND ROUND THE WORLD. 115
which I believe forms a deep hay, as we faw from the deck March.
feveral fmokes arifing a-back of the illands that lay before —»— J
it, when we could not fee the leaft figns of land from the
maft head.
From the latitude of 4o°5o' South, to the latitude of 390
50' South, is nothing but illands and fhoals ; the land high,
rocky, and barren. On the 19th, in the latitude of 4b0 30' Friday 19;
South, obferving breakers about half a mile within fhore of
us, we founded, and finding but eight fathoms, immediately
hauled off, deepened our water to fifteen fathoms,
then bore away, and kept along fhore again. From the
latitude of 39° 50' to 39° S. we faw no land, but had regular
foundings from fifteen to thirty fathoms. As we flood
on to the northward, we made land again in about 39°; after
which we difcontinued our northerly courfe, as we found
the ground very uneven, and fhoal-water fome diftance off.
I think it a very dangerous fhore to fall in with.
The Coaft, from Adventure Bay to the place where we
flood away for New Zealand, lies in the direction S. i W.
and N. 4 E., about feventy-five leagues ; and it is my opinion
that there is no ftraits between New Holland and Van
Diemen’s Land, but a very deep bay. I fhould have flood
farther to the northward, but the wind blowing ftrong at
S. S. E., and looking likely to haul round to the eaftward,
which would have blown right on the land, I therefore
thought it more proper to leave the coaft, and fleer for New
Zealand.
After we left Van Diemen’s Land, we had very uncertain
weather, with rain and very heavy gufts of wind. On the
24th, we were furprifed with a very fevere fquall, that re- Wednef. »■ £
duced us from top-gallant fails to reefed courfes, in thé
Q_2 fpace