128 EARLY HISTORY OF BRUNY ISLAND, 



met with a number of natives. On the 17th the ships pro- 

 ceeded further into the Channel, but a calm caused them to 

 anchor in 9 fathoms off Cape Ventenat. Peron records 

 that "On the 19th at six in the morning we again made 

 "sail for the North- West Port, in which we proposed an- 

 "choring, and passed in succession Satellite Island, Rich 

 "Point, * 48 ) the Bay of the Isthmus, Cape Legrand, ( 49 > 

 "and Gicquet Point." ( 50 ) 



The following day, owing to a fishing excursion in the 

 vicinity of Bruny Island, the naturalist of the expedi- 

 tion records the capture of "more than twenty new species 

 "of fish." "I likewise collected 12 or 15 species of new 

 "and very curious conchae, among which was Trigonia 

 "antarctica, N., a species which hitherto was not supposed 

 "to have existence and of which in our climates are many 

 "very extensive banks in a petrified state." 



From the anchorage in North-West Bay numerous boat 

 expeditions were made to Bruny Island, the River Der- 

 went, and other places of interest. The vexed question 

 of the correct position of Tasman's Frederick Henry Bay 

 was settled, and the French explorers drew up' admirable 

 charts showing the results of their investigations. 



Several interviews were had with the natives^ on 

 Bruny Island. On one occasion a party of native women 

 were met with, who were returning from fishing. The 

 shell fish were carried in bags made of rushes, the bags 

 being fastened round the forehead by a> band, and hung 

 down the back. Some of the bags were of great weight. 



The ships sailed from the Channel on the 17th of 

 February. Baudin, however, returned to Adventure Bay 

 for a few days in May of the same year. Le Geographe had 

 become separated from her consort, and it was with great 

 difficulty that Baudin managed to finally reach Port Jack- 

 son, where Le Naturaliste had been for some time. In 

 view of the controversies that have taken place concern- 

 ing the treatment given, to French at Port Jackson, Flin- 

 ders' detention for six years at Mauritius, and the general 

 idea governing the French voyages of discovery generally, 

 Peron's reports make interesting reading. As apart from 

 the naturalist and, owing to the death of Baudin, the 

 historian of the voyage, he frankly confesses himself as 

 a spy. His report (51 ) on the settlement at Port Jack- 

 son, which he furnished to General De Caen, throws 1 

 an entirely new light on his character. 



(48) Named after Riche, the naturalist of the Esperance. Now known as 

 Simpson Point. 



(49> N;imed after Legrand, ensign of the Esperance. Now known as Kinghorne 

 Point. 



(50) Now known as Snn~ Point (the S.W. Point of N.W. Bay). 



(51) For a translation of this report, see Professor Soott's work. 

 "Life of Matthew Flinders," Appendix B., p. 437. 



