328 Mis-Tory of 



some time by the natives. His Excellency now 

 proceeded down the river to Botany Bay, and 

 walked from there to Sydney, the space be- 

 tween which places is nothing but barren and 

 uneven ground, covered very generally with 

 •ilowering heath. 



In a i'tw days after his return, the Norfolk 

 arrived from the Northward. 



The Governor being anxious to obtain some 

 information relative to the coast Northward of 

 Port Jackson, and more particularly of two 

 openings laid down by Capt. Cook, the further- 

 most North of which he called Hervey Bay, 

 and seemed to lie in latitude 24° 3(7 South, 

 Lieut. Flinders, v. ;■ : directed by his Excellency 

 to proceed in the Norfolk Northward, and exa- 

 mine them wi'thall theaccuracv six weeks would 

 suffer him. 



The Norfolk was manned from the two king's 

 ships, and Lieut. Flinders took with him a native 

 named Bong-ree, who was remarkable for his 

 good disposition. To guard against accidents, 

 they were supplied with eleven weeks provi- 

 sions, and the vessel sailed on the 8th of July 

 on this service to the Northward, and Lieut. 

 Flinders on his return delivered to the Gover- 

 nor the substance of the following particular 

 and very interesting account : 



*Soon after seven in the morning of the 9th they 

 sounded, without finding ground at fifteen fa- 

 thoms, at the distance of half a mile from a reef 

 of black rocks. There were two low and dan- 



