NEW SOUTH WALES. SOS 



themselves, where they sat with their wives and 

 progeny, on his drawing near them, hobbled up 

 with a menacing roar, and fairly commenced the 

 attack, while the wives seemed to rest their secu- 

 rity upon the superior courage of the males; for, 

 instead of retreating into the water with con- 

 sternation, they only raised themselves upon 

 their fore fins, ready to go, keeping their eye on 

 him. 



The seal is reckoned stupid ; but Mr. B. 

 noticed many signs of sagacity in them ; and 

 was of opinion that, a seal might be trained to 

 be a fisher for man, even as a hawk is his fowler, 



Having collected what stock was necessary, 

 they stood to the Northward, and on the 12th 

 reached Port Jackson, 



On an account of this voyage being delivered to 

 the governor, he named the principal discovery, 

 Bass Strait, as a tribute due to the correctness of 

 that judgment which led to the supposition that 

 the south-westerly winds which rolled in on the 

 Western shores, could proceed only from their 

 being exposed to the Southern Indian Ocean. 



The principal advantage likely to arise to 

 the settlement from this discovery was, the expe- 

 diting of the passage from the Cape of Good 

 Hope to Port Jackson. But there is a greater 

 advantage to be gained by making a passage 

 through the strait. The major part of the ships 

 that have arrived at Port Jackson have met with 

 N. E. winds on opening the sea round the South 

 Cape and Cape Pillar, and have been so retarded 

 by them, that a fourteen days' passage to the 



