422 Transactions. 



bordered by high mountains, of which the most distant were 

 snow-clad. [Massacre or Golden Bay.] That coast extends 

 between twelve and fifteen miles east and west, and terminates 

 in a low narrow point. Just as I had decided to steer south, 

 to pass close to the point into Tasman Bay. we perceived 

 breakers extending ofE the point for more than five miles. 

 Nearly at the same moment the breeze changed to the south 

 and ended in a dead calm. Without doubt the turn of the 

 tide changes daily the direction of the current, and in two 

 hours' time we lost three or four miles to the west. Our proxi- 

 mity to the coast, and the impossibility of steering the ship, 

 commenced to cause some anxiety; and I had decided to 

 anchor off the coast, when at 11 a.m., the breeze having re- 

 turned to the north, allowed us to resume our route with full 

 sail. Having rounded the breakers at a mile distant, we 

 directed our course south into the bay which Cook in his second 

 voyage had named " Tasman Bay." 



The visit of that celebrated navigator having procured an 

 extensive knowledge of Admiralty Bay and Queen Charlotte's 

 Sound, I judged that we might render greater service to geo- 

 graphy by guiding the corvette to an anchorage in Tasman 

 Bay, which hitherto no expedition had made known to us. 



Since the morning M. Guilbert had succeeded M. Gressian 

 in the hydrographic work, and was charged with the survey of 

 all these parts of Cook's Straits. We may remark here that the 

 task of the geographical officer is an extremely arduous one. 

 From daylight until night closes in he remains close to the com- 

 pass, in order that no useful detail may escape his notice, and to 

 increase his observations and render them of the greatest utility 

 possible. Rarely does he quit his post except to take a hasty 

 meal, whilst violent squalls alone cause him to temporarily leave 

 his post. Then, when he has completed the portion of the 

 coast which has been assigned to him, up to the time when his 

 turn comes again, every instant which the service allows him 

 is devoted to charting his observations, a species of work which, 

 though less fatiguing, is not less delicate or less engrossing. 



As we advanced towards the south, we saw that the vast 

 bay com prised between the land of Cape Farewell on the one 

 part and that of Cape Stephen on the other, and which Cook 

 in his first voyage named " Blind Bay." is divided into two 

 basins very distinct by a remarkable point which T named 

 " Separation Point." [This point separates Tasman from 

 Golden Bay.] The western basin, which Cook named " Mas- 

 sacre Bay," is somewhat vaguely traced on our chart, because 

 at the distance at which we passed it we could but ascertain 

 the outline. 



