(**Footnote. Flinders volume 1 page 60.)
December 1 to February 9, 1823.
Having effected our departure from King George's Sound we proceeded on our way towards Simon's Bay at the Cape of Good Hope, which we reached on the 14th January after a passage of forty-six days without encountering a gale of wind or the occurrence of any event worth recording.
February 9 to April 23.
We left Simon's Bay on the 9th of February and, after touching at St. Helena and Ascension, crossed the line in 22 degrees 6 minutes West; and on the 7th of April made the Island of Flores, one of the Azores. On the same morning we fell in with two French men of war, a frigate and a corvette, who bore down but, upon showing our colours, hauled their wind and resumed their course without communicating with us. Between this and the Channel we were delayed by a succession of northerly winds. The Lizard Lights were made in the night of the 22nd of April and the following day we anchored in Plymouth Sound; after an absence of more than six years.
It may not be considered irrelevant here to make a few brief observations upon what has been effected by these voyages, and what yet remains to be done upon the northern coasts of Australia. Beginning with the north-eastern coast, I have been enabled to lay down a very safe and convenient track for vessels bound through Torres Strait, and to delineate the coastline between Cape Hillsborough, in 20 degrees 54 minutes South, and Cape York, the north extremity of New South Wales; a distance of six hundred and ninety miles. As my instructions did not authorise my delaying to examine any part of this coast I could not penetrate into the many numerous and extensive openings that presented themselves in this space; particularly in the neighbourhoods of Cape Gloucester, Upstart, and Cleveland; where the intersected and broken appearances of the hills at the back are matters of interesting enquiry and research.
My instructions at first confined me between Cape Arnhem and the North-west Cape, but were subsequently extended to the western coast. The examination of the northern and part of the north-western coasts, from Wessel Islands to Port George the Fourth, a distance of seven hundred and ninety miles, has been carefully made and, with a few exceptions, every opening has been explored. Those parts in this interval that yet require examination are some inlets on the south side of Clarence Strait, and one of more considerable size to the eastward of Cambridge Gulf, trending in to the south-east: otherways, the coast comprised within these limits has been sufficiently examined for all the purposes of navigation.
The coast also between the North-west Cape and Depuch Island, containing two hundred and twenty miles, has also been sufficiently explored; but between the latter island and Port George the Fourth, a distance of five hundred and ten miles, it yet remains almost unknown. The land that is laid down is nothing more than an archipelago of islands fronting the mainland, the situation of which is quite uncertain. Our examinations of these islands were carried on as far as Cape Villaret, but between that and Depuch Island the coast has only been seen by the French, who merely occasionally saw small detached portions of it. At present however this is conjecture; but the space is of considerable extent and, if there is an opening into the interior of New Holland, it is in the vicinity of this part. Off the Buccaneer's Archipelago the tides are strong and rise to the height of thirty-six feet. Whatever may exist behind these islands, which we were prevented by our poverty in anchors and other circumstances from exploring, there are certainly some openings of importance; and it is not at all improbable that there may be a communication at this part with the interior for a considerable distance from the coast.
The examination of the western coast was performed during an almost continued gale of wind, so that we had no opportunity of making any very careful observation upon its shores. There can however be very little more worth knowing of them, as I apprehend the difficulty of landing is too great ever to expect to gain much information; for it is only in Shark's Bay that a vessel can anchor with safety.
With respect to the subjects of natural history that have been procured upon the voyage, it is much to be lamented that the small size of the vessel and our constant professional duties prevented my extending them. Of quadrupeds we saw but few. Birds were very numerous but the operation of skinning and preserving them would have taken up more time than could be afforded. A few insects, some shells, and a small series of specimens of the geology of the parts we landed at were among the only things obtained, excepting the extensive and valuable collection of plants formed by Mr. Cunningham which are now in the possession of Mr. Aiton, of the Royal Gardens at Kew; for which establishment it would seem that they were solely procured. It was in fact the only department of natural history in which any pains were taken and for which every assistance was rendered. A small herbarium was however collected by me, containing nearly five hundred species: they are in the possession of my respected friend Aylmer B. Lambert, Esquire, whose scientific attainments in the field of botany are well and widely known. It is to be hoped however that the few subjects offered to the scientific world in the appendix, through the kindness of my friends, will not be thought uninteresting or unimportant; and that they will serve to show how very desirable it is to increase the comparatively slender knowledge that we possess of this extensive country, which in this respect might still with propriety retain its ancient name of Terra Australis INCOGNITA.