° '
The peak of Cape Barren was set at N. 28 40 E.
Mount Chappell, N. 21 20 W.;
from which, and several intermediate bearings, this station became firmly connected with the survey of Furneaux's Islands. Mr. Bass thought the stone to contain a rather large quantity of iron, and the bearings seemed to confirm it, for they did not agree in any common intersection with the allowance of 9° east, which I considered to be the true variation; but with 6° 30', they not only coincided, but placed this station in latitude 40° 43' south, the same as deduced from three meridional observations taken within sight of the island.
One mile from the north-west end, lies a low, rocky islet, and several rocks both above and under water. All these are comprehended under the general name of the Swan Isles; a name which, on examination, they appeared very little to deserve, for we did not see a single bird of that species, or any of their nests; but there were several of the bernacle geese, and two of them were shot by Mr Bass.
The length of the largest Swan Isle is two and a quarter miles, by a medium breadth of one mile. The stony parts are over-run with thick brush wood, and the sandy are mostly covered with hassocks of wiry grass, to which the sooty petrels resort. In external appearance, this island bears a resemblance to that of Preservation; but its sterility is greater, and it is destitute of the kangaroo. We did not see any fresh water in the valleys, a seal upon the shores, nor any marks of the island having been ever visited by the natives of the opposite coast.
Nov 1. Having an unfavourable wind, I waited the flood tide, and then proceeded westward, along that part of Van Diemen's land to which the name of CAPE PORTLAND was given, in honour of His Grace the then secretary of state for the colonies. From the eastern extremity, the coast trends about N. 62° W. six leagues, and terminates in a point, off which lie some small rocky islets. The shore consists of long, sandy beaches, separated by low and stony points, which project very little beyond the coastline. The country for two or three miles behind the shore is low and sandy; but it then ascends in gradations of gently rising hills, and being covered with verdure, interspersed with clumps of wood and single trees of a fair growth, it had a very pleasing appearance. At the back of these hills, the bare and rugged tops of a ridge of distant mountains appeared here and there, and formed a striking contrast with the verdure of the front scene.
Our soundings along the south side of the largest Swan Isle were generally 8 fathoms, on a sandy bottom; nor was there much decrease until noon, when the low shore of Cape Portland was at something less, and the outer rocky islets something more than a mile distant, and we came rather suddenly into 3 fathoms. The latitude observed was 40° 43 2/3' south, and the island last quitted bore N. 85° to S. 84° E., distant six miles.
There being little wind at this time, the sloop, in passing round the rocky islets of Cape Portland, was carried by the tide over a ledge where there was scarcely 2 fathoms; and was then driven westward on a curved line of rippling water, which extended northward from the islets as far as the eye could reach. We passed over the rippling in 9 fathoms; and the wind being entirely gone, were then carried to the south-west.
Soon after four o'clock, the ebb appeared to be making; and the anchor was dropped in 11 fathoms, sandy bottom, about one mile west of Cape Portland. The shore on this side of the cape trends south, in rocky heads and beaches, and afterwards curves westward, forming an extensive bay, which terminates in a point. To this the name of Point Waterhouse was given, in honour of the commander of the Reliance, and an island, whose top is level and moderately high, lying off the point, was named ISLE WATERHOUSE.
The bottom of the large bay is sandy, and the hills of Cape Portland there retiring further back, permitted a view of the inland mountains, of which there was a high and extensive ridge. Mountains like these are usually the parents of rivers; and the direction of the ebb tide, which came from between S.W. by S. and S.W. by W. at the rate of two-and-a-half miles an hour, gave hopes of finding some considerable inlet in the bay, and increased our anxiety for a fair breeze.
A set of distances of the sun east of the moon, a meridian altitude of the planet Mars, and a western amplitude of the sun were taken at this anchorage, the results of which, with the bearings of the land, were as under: