Smith. — Exploration of Tasman Bay. 441 



We passed the night with the smaller anchor down, with 

 42 fathoms of chain. It was calm up to midnight, after which 

 time the sky became overcast, and squalls came on from the 

 N.W. with rain, which lasted some hours. 



25th January. — M. Guilbert employed the whole morning 

 in making a plan of the basin in which we were, and it resulted 

 from his explorations that the soundings are regular from 20 

 to 25 fathoms, gravel and shells, right up to the shore. 



I left at 10 a.m., with M. Gressian, to again examine the 

 pass, or at least its sides. The tide was nearly low, and I found 

 with pleasure that the sea only broke feebly on the rocks, in 

 spite of the whirlpools which were there. I sounded in the 

 very middle of the channel and found a great depth, whilst, 

 without our perceiving it, the current carried us rapidly to- 

 wards Admiralty Bay. For the moment I was somewhat 

 anxious as to the manner by which we should return to Cur- 

 rent Basin, because of the redoubtable bar which the back 

 current always established. Lastly I decided, certain that we 

 could always return by land over the peninsula, and, after 

 all, it would only mean the sacrifice of the boat. 



Hence I advanced with confidence for half a mile into 

 Admiralty Bay, the basin of which appeared quite safe, and 

 the entrance much less obstructed by islands and islets than 

 Cook had shown. On the shore we observed some Native 

 villages, and a canoe at sea, which I would willingly have 

 waited for, but it was essential not to lose precious time for 

 the object which I proposed. I therefore hastened back to the 

 pass, where I found the sea perfectly calm. It was the very 

 moment when the current was absent, and during our stay 

 there we observed that this calm rarely lasted more than a 

 quarter of an hour. It was to us altogether an extraordinary 

 event to be able to move in that space which we had seen 

 occupied by impetuous whirlpools and a menacing bar. I 

 profited by it to sound it with care. I recognised that all the 

 N.W. part of the pass was effectively barred by rocks just at 

 the surface, at that time quite uncovered, and also that some 

 isolated rocks 8 ft. or 10 ft. under water prolonged the chain. 

 Thus the only part of the pass practicable is reduced to 30 or 

 40 fathoms in width near the S.E. point ; that point is as acces- 

 sible as a quay, and might be closely approached without any 

 danger. 



From that moment I decided to take the" " Astrolabe " 

 through the pass with the first favourable wind, from the double 

 consideration that this would save us a long and disagreeable 

 round, and at the same time procure us the means of deline- 

 ating properly the coasts of Admiralty Bay. I called to M. 



