NEW SOUTH WALES. 359 



known, and of course proper advantage was 

 taken of it, at Port Jackson ; the tide also rose 

 the highest at Western Port, round the South- 

 ern promontory of New South Wales. The time 

 of high- water in the river preceded the moon's 

 passage over the meridian by two hours and a 

 half. 



On Wednesday the 31st having a moderate 

 breeze at S. by W. with fine weather, they got 

 under weigh and beat out of the river. Having 

 passed fifteen days in Glass-House Bay, Lieut. 

 Flinders was enabled to form a complete judg- 

 ment of it. And found it so full of shoals, that 

 he could not point out any passage that would 

 lead a ship into it without danger. 



Lieut. Flinders named the land on which 

 Cape Moreton stood, Moreton Island, supposing 

 that which Capt. Cook would have, given it, had 

 he known its form. It appeared a strip of land the 

 greatest extent East and West of which was not 

 more than five miles; but its North and South 

 extent Was about twenty-two miles. The ridge 

 of land which ran along the middle of the island 

 was nearly of the same height with the Cape; 

 and though it appeared to be composed of piles 

 of sand heaped together upon a base mostly of 

 stone, it was interspersed with small trees calcu- 

 lated to mislead a distant observer, who would 

 most probably think that some spots of it could 

 not be classed among the most barren parts of 

 the universe. 



Passing out of the bay they saw a turtle lying 

 asleep on the water, whence it became very proba- 



