Smith. — Exploration of Tan-man Bay. 423 



On the contrary, the southern basin, to which I have con- 

 served the name of " Tasman's Bay," following Cook in his 

 second voyage, became more particularly the object of our 

 attention, and it is this bay we now have to do with. 



We continued our route to the south until 4 p.m., when the 

 wind suddenly changed to the S.S.E., with the appearance of 

 bad weather. Not wishing to beat against a contrary wind, I 

 profited by a good bottom of soft mud to anchor in 26 fathoms 

 to pass the night. 



15th January. — The night was fine, and to the calm, which 

 lasted till 1 a.m., succeeded a slight breeze from the south, 

 which gradually augmented, and was blowing quite strong 

 enough at daylight. 



From our anchorage an imposing view extended round us. 

 Two elevated coasts bordered the bay right to its head ; and 

 that to the west, which was much nearer, offered to us agree- 

 able forests and a pleasing verdure. The head of the bay seemed 

 to be occupied by low land, barely visible, dominated in the dis- 

 tance by mountains, whitened by perpetual snow. 



As the wind did not permit me to advance further towards 

 the head of the bay, and because I was desirous of procuring 

 for M. Guilbert the means of making a station on Point Separa- 

 tion (from which we were only distant two leagues), at 6 a.m. 

 I sent that officer away in the whaleboat with MM. Quoy, 

 Gaimard, and Dudemaine. The breeze off the land ceased at 

 10 a.m. ; an interval of calm ensued, and at 11.30 the wind off 

 shore set it. Impatient to profit by it, I fired a gun to recall 

 the boat. Shortly after we saw it leave the point we got under 

 sail, and the " Astrolabe ' ' sailed slowly along the coast to 

 give them time to join us, which they did at 3 p.m. 



M. Guilbert had much trouble to climb the ridge to make 

 his station, and lost not a single moment of the time he had at 

 his disposal. The sailors, in rambling about the vicinity, dis- 

 covered some abandoned huts, from which they had taken 

 many objects used by the Natives. I addressed strong reproofs 

 to them on that subject, and menaced them with severe punish- 

 ment, as well as those who permitted suchlike license. One 

 cannot at all doubt that the greater number of serious quarrels 

 which arise between savages and Europeans have their origin 

 in causes of that nature. As it was impossible for me to send 

 these objects ashore, I ordered them to be placed with others 

 which will form part of the King's collection. 



We proceeded along a good part of the west side of the bay 

 at two miles distant, and with regularly decreasing soundings 

 from 25 to 10 fathoms, always with muddy bottom. After 

 having passed two islands situated under the land, the coast 



