On the 26th, we stood to the southward close upon a wind; and at noon, were in latitude 35° 10' S longitude 188° 20' W. the Three Kings bearing N. 26 W. distant twenty-two leagues. In this situation we had no land in sight; and yet, by observation, we were in the latitude of the Bay of Islands; and by my reckoning but twenty leagues to the westward of North Cape: From whence it appears, that the northern part of this island is very narrow; for otherwise we must have seen some part of the west side of it. We stood to the southward till twelve at night, and then tacked and stood to the northward.
At four o'clock in the morning, the wind freshened, and at nine blew a storm; so that we were obliged to bring the ship to under her mainsail. Our course made good between noon this day and yesterday was S.S.W. 1/2 W. distance eleven miles. The Three Kings bore N. 27 E. distant seventy-seven miles. The gale continued all this day, and till two the next morning, when it fell, and began to veer to the southward and S.W. where it fixed about four, when we made sail and steered east in for the land, under the fore-sail and main-sail; but the wind then rising, and by eight o'clock being increased to a hurricane, with a prodigious sea, we were obliged to take in the main-sail; we then wore the ship, and brought her to with her head to the north west. At noon the gale was somewhat abated, but we had still heavy squalls. Our course made good this day, was north, a little easterly, twenty-nine miles; latitude by account 34° 50' S. longitude 188° 27' W.; the Three Kings bore N. 41 E. distant fifty-two miles. At seven o'clock in the evening, the wind being at S.W. and S.W. by W. with hard squalls, we wore and lay on the other tack; and at six the next morning spread more sail. Our course and distance since yesterday was E. by N. twenty-nine miles. In the afternoon, we had hard squalls at S.W.; and at eight in the evening, wore and stood to the N.W. till five the next morning; and then wore and stood to the S.E. At six, we saw the land bearing N.E. distant about six leagues, which we judged to be Cape Maria Van Diemen, and which corresponded with the account that had been given of it by the Indians. At midnight we wore and stood to the S.E. And on the next day at noon, Cape Maria Van Diemen bore N.E. by N. distant about five leagues. At seven in the evening, we tacked and stood to the westward, with a moderate breeze at S.W. by S. and S.W. Mount Camel then bore N. 88 E. and the northermost land, or Cape Maria Van Diemen, N. by W.; we were now distant from the nearest land about three leagues, where we had something more than forty fathom water; and it must be remarked, that Mount Camel, which when seen on the other side did not seem to be more than one mile from the sea, seemed to be but little more when seen from this side; which is a demonstration that the land here cannot be more than two or three miles broad, or from sea to sea.
At six o'clock in the morning of January the 1st, 1770, being New-year's Day, we tacked and stood to the eastward, the Three Kings bearing N.W. by N. At noon, we tacked again, and stood to the westward, being in latitude 34° 37' S.; the Three Kings bearing N.W. by N. at the distance of ten or eleven leagues; and Cape Maria Van Diemen N. 31 E. distant about four leagues and a half: In this situation we had fifty-four fathom water.
During this part of our navigation two particulars are very remarkable; in latitude 35° S. and in the midst of summer, I met with a gale of wind, which for its strength and continuance was such as I had scarcely ever been in before, and we were three weeks in getting ten leagues to the westward, and five weeks in getting fifty leagues, for at this time it was so long since we passed Cape Bret. During the gale, we were happily at a considerable distance from the land, otherwise it is highly probable that we should never have returned to relate our adventures.
At five o'clock in the evening, having a fresh breeze to the westward, we tacked and stood to the southward: At this time North Cape bore E. 1/4 N. and just open of a point that lies three leagues W. by N. from it.
This Cape, as I have observed before, is the northermost extremity of this country, and the eastermost point of a peninsula, which runs out N.W. and N.W. by N. seventeen or eighteen leagues, and of which Cape Maria Van Diemen is the westermost point. Cape Maria lies in latitude 34° 30' S. longitude 187° 18' W.; and from this point the land trends away S.E. by S. and S.E. beyond Mount Camel, and is every where a barren shore, consisting of banks of white sand.
On the 2d, at noon, we were in latitude 35° 17' S. and Cape Maria bore north, distant about sixteen leagues, as near as we could guess; for we had no land in sight, and did not dare to go nearer, as a fresh gale blew right on shore, with a rolling sea. The wind continued at W.S.W and S.W. with frequent squalls; in the evening we shortened sail, and at midnight tacked, and made a trip to the N.W. till two in the morning, when we wore and stood to the southward. At break of day, we made sail, and edged away, in order to make land; and at ten o'clock, we saw it, hearing N.W. It appeared to be high, and at noon extended from N. to E.N.E. distant by estimation eight or ten leagues. Cape Maria then bore N. 2° 30' W. distant thirty-three leagues; our latitude by observation was 36° 2' S. About seven o'clock in the evening, we were within six leagues of it; but having a fresh gale upon it, with a rolling sea, we hauled our wind to the S.E.; and kept on that course close upon the wind all night, sounding several times, but having no ground with one hundred and one hundred and ten fathom.
At eight o'clock the next morning, we were about five leagues from the land, and off a place which lies in latitude 86° 25', and had the appearance of a bay or inlet. It bore east; and in order to see more of it, we kept on our course till eleven o'clock, when we were not more than three leagues from it, and then discovered that it was neither inlet nor bay, but a tract of low land, bound by higher lands on each side, which produced the deception. At this time, we tacked and stood to the N.W.; and at noon, the land was not distant more than three or four leagues. We were now in latitude 36° 31' S. longitude 185° 50' W. Cape Maria bore N. 25 W. distant forty-four leagues, and a half; so that the coast must be almost straight in the direction of S.S.E. 3/4 E. and N.N.W. 3/4 W. nearly. In about latitude 35° 45' is some high land adjoining to the sea; to the southward of which the shore is also high, and has the most desolate and inhospitable appearance that can be imagined. Nothing is to be seen but hills of sand, on which there is scarcely a blade of verdure; and a vast sea, impelled by the westerly winds, breaking upon it in a dreadful surf, renders it not only forlorn, but frightful; complicating the idea of danger with desolation, and impressing the mind at once with a sense of misery and death. From this place I steered to the northward, resolving never more to come within the same distance of the coast, except the wind should be very favourable indeed. I stood under a fresh sail all the day, hoping to get an offing by the next noon, and we made good a course of a hundred and two miles N. 38 W. Our latitude by observation was 35° 10'S.; and Cape Maria bore N. 10 E. distance forty-one miles. In the night, the wind shifted from S.W. by S. to S. and blew fresh. Our course to the noon of the 5th was N. 75 W. distance eight miles.
At day-break on the 6th, we saw the land which we took to be Cape Maria, bearing N.N.E. distant eight or nine leagues: And on the 7th, in the afternoon, the land bore east: And some time after we discovered a turtle upon the water; but being awake, it dived instantly, so that we could not take it. At noon, the high land, which has just been mentioned, extended from N. to E. at the distance of five or six leagues; and in two places, a flat gave it the appearance of a bay or inlet. The course that we made good the last four-and-twenty hours was S. 33 E. fifty-three miles; Cape Maria bearing N. 25 W. distant thirty leagues.
We sailed within sight of land all this day, with gentle gales between the N.E. and N.W.; and by next noon had sailed sixty-nine miles, in the direction of S. 37 E.; our latitude, by observation was 36° 39' S. The land which on the 4th we had taken for a bay, now bore N.E. by N. distant five leagues and a half; and Cape Maria N. 29 W. forty-seven leagues.