NEW SOUTH WALES. 223 



Mr. Bass, the surgeon of the Reliance, now 

 returned from an excursion of 12 weeks in a 

 boat to the Southward. This gentleman, dis- 

 liking an idle life, and having a good consti- 

 tution, and being possessed of great sensibility, 

 ingenuity, and observation, requested the Go- 

 vernor to lend him a boat, and allow him to 

 man her with volunteers from the King's ships ; 

 proposing to go along the coast to make obser- 

 vations. The Governor consenting, he set out 

 in her ; he persevered as far to the Southward 

 as the latitude 40° 00', visiting every opening 

 in the coast; but only in one place, to the 

 Southward and Westward of Point Hicks, find- 

 ing a harbour capable of admitting ships. There 

 was an appearance of a strait, or rather an open 

 sea, between the latitudes of 39° and 40° South, 

 and that Van Diemen's land consisted (as con- 

 jectured) of a group of islands off the Southern 

 coast of the country. 



Mr. Bass, on his return, picked up, on an 

 island near the coast, the seven meu who were 

 part of those who ran off with a settler's boat, 

 and had been left in this place by their com- 

 panions. Being incapable of taking them in 

 his boat, he put them on the main land, fur- 

 nished them with part of his provisions, and a 

 gun for their protection. Two who were ill he 

 took into his boat, and left the other five to 

 march to the Northward, at the distance of 

 upwards of 400 miles from Port Jackson. They 

 were nearly naked, almost starved, and must 

 have perished on the island, had not Mr. Bass 



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