NEW SOUTH WALES. 2f)3 



miles in circuit. Their sides steep ; but their 

 height is inferior to that of the main. The 

 largest is the lowest. The smaller isles are little 

 more than lumps of rock, of which that called 

 by Captain Cook the Mew Stone is the south- 

 ernmost. Their appearance, like that of the 

 main, bespeaks sterility; but, superior to the 

 greater part of it, they produce a covering of 

 brush; and upon the sides are a few stinted 

 gum trees. ' 



A smoke that arose at the back of one of the 

 bights shewed the main to be inhabited. 



The South Cape is easily to be distinguished 

 from any other projection in its neighbourhood. 

 Besides being the southernmost, it is a promon- 

 tory making like a foreland, sloping gradually 

 as it runs towards the sea, where it ends in a 

 perpendicular cliff. 



About sunset the fresh N. W. wind died away 

 suddenly ; and a squall from the Westward, of 

 thunder, lightning, and heavy rain, soon car- 

 ried them round the South cape, and, by dark, 

 brought them off Storm- Bay, where they hauled 

 to the wind with the sloop's head up the bay, 

 meaning, in the morning, to proceed by this 

 bay to the Derwent river. 



The night was squally, and by day light next 

 morning (the 14th,) it was found that the ves- 

 sel had drifted across the mouth of Storm-Bay, 

 or Storm- Bay-Passage. Tasman's-head, its East- 

 ern point, boreN. E. distant three miles. Being 

 too far to leeward to fetch up, and the gale con- 

 tinuing, they bore away round TasmanVhead. 



