436 Transactions. 



couple of miles south of Cape Soucis, the south head of Croi- 

 selles Harbour.] 



There exists an astonishing difference between the west 

 coast of Tasman Bay and that of the east. The latter, battered 

 by the gales from the west, only offers an escarped land, often 

 bare, and nearly everywhere without landing. It recalled to us, 

 by its sad and monotonous aspect, that which we had followed 

 from Cape Five Fingers up to Rocks Point ; also, the swell 

 from the west appeared almost permanent, and thus renders 

 the navigation as dangerous as the coast opposite is safe. 



Between 8 and 9 a.m. a canoe manned by two Natives ap- 

 peared at the mouth of Croiselles Harbour, but disappeared 

 again. We were so anxious about our position that we gave 

 but slight attention to them. 



At 9.45 a.m. I profited by a fresh breeze from the N.W. 

 to get under way in haste, and to conduct the ship towards the 

 channel I had observed the previous evening in the N.N.E., 

 and which seemed to me to establish a communication between 

 Tasman and Admiralty Bay. We followed the coast at less than 

 two miles distance, although the breeze was uncertain, and 

 frequently threatened to leave us at the mercy of the swell. 

 At 4.15 p.m. we had arrived opposite to the channel, and I stood 

 tor it with all sail, when the look-out on the crosstrees announced 

 that the pass was barred by breakers, from which we were 

 distant not more than three or four cable-lengths. In an in- 

 stant M. Guilbert flew up to the crosstrees and confirmed the 

 report. There was not a moment to lose ; instantly all the sails 

 were lowered, and the starboard anchor let go in 26 fathoms 

 in mid-channel, and at about a mile or more from each of the 

 two points. The wind threatened to freshen from the N.W.. 

 and the swell had much increased, so I at once paid out 50 

 fathoms of cable. 



MM. Lottin and Gressian were sent away in two boats to 

 follow each of the two sides of the channel, to search for dangers 

 and to find^mt if the pass would, in effect, conduct us to Ad- 

 miralty Bay. They were nearly four hours absent, and on their 

 return informed me that, with th exception of the breakers 

 that extended for a considerable distance from the N.W. point, 

 the channel appeared to them quite safe right through. They 

 could not, nevertheless, make sure that the channel was prac- 

 ticable in its narrowest part, where it debouched into Admi- 

 ralty Bay. M. Lottin, who approached that part nearest, found 

 it almost barred by rocks barely above the surface, and there 

 prevailed there a very violent current, accompanied by eddies 

 and whirlpools, which had nearly carried his boat into the 

 breakers, and it was only with extreme difficulty he had been 



