CHAPTER XIX 

 FLINDERS, continued 

 "INVESTIGATOR'S" RETURN TO SYDNEY, 1802-3 



LLONG SOUTH COAST OF GULF OF CARPENTARIA. SWEERS AND BENTINCK ISLANDS. 

 INVESTIGATOR ROADS. OVERHAUL AND REPAIRS. THE SHIP ROTTEN AND 

 DANGEROUSLY UNSEAWORTHY. MoRNINGTON ISLAND. SlR EDWARD ?ELLEW 

 ISLANDS VISITED. MARIA ISLAND SEPARATED FROM MAINLAND. NORTH COAST 

 OF ARNHEM LAND. FLEET OF MALAY VESSELS COLLECTING BECHE DE MER. 

 OUTBREAK OF SCURVY. FLINDERS SAILS FOR TIMOR. SAILS FROM TIMOR TO 

 SYDNEY VIA THE LEEUWIN. THE " INVESTIGATOR " BROKEN UP. 



SATISFIED at last that he had really reached the " bottom " 

 of the Gulf and that there was no passage between " New 

 South Wales" and the "mainland of New Holland," 

 and weary of the monotonous flats defended by wide 

 shoals, Flinders turned the head of the " Investigator " to the north- 

 west, in order to survey the western shores of the Gulf. On 

 22nd November, 1802, an anchorage was found in INVESTIGATOR 

 ROADS, between SWEERS and BENTINCK ISLANDS, and fears having 

 arisen as to the condition of the ship, she was careened and examined 

 by the carpenters. (SEE MAP M.) Their comprehensive report 

 (26th November) may be summed up in a single line of Kipling. 

 The ship was " just a pack of rotten planks puttied up with tar." 

 With luck and fine weather she might hold together for six months. 

 Flinders resolved to pursue his work until the monsoons abated, 

 and then to make for Sydney by the west side of Australia, unless 

 forced by rough weather to run for shelter to some port in the 

 East Indies. 



After such repairs had been made as were possible in the 

 circumstances, Tasman's CAPE VAN DIEMEN was found to be an 

 island, and named MORNINGTON ISLAND. Next the SIR EDWARD 

 PELLEW group of ISLANDS was visited and named. Here were 

 found traces of the former presence of MALAYS, in the shape of 

 fragments of pottery, basket-work, rags, etc. The so-called CAPE 

 MARIA had to be called MARIA ISLAND. In BLUE MUD BAY, the 

 master's mate was fatally speared by NATIVES. MELVILLE BAY 

 was discovered on I2th February, 1803. 



On ijth February, the " Investigator " left the Gulf and steered 

 west along the north coast of ARNHEM LAND. Here were met no 



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