OF LA PEROUSE. 207 



certain exa<5tly at this extremity of New Holland, 

 where impetuous winds prevail, the places of 

 fhelter which it can afford to ihips affailed by 

 florins. A roadftead of about four myriameters 

 and a half in extent at the point of this vaft 

 ifland might hold out very great advantages to a 

 commercial nation. A veflel may come to an 

 anchor in any part of it with a certainty of find- 

 ing a good bottom, with a depth of water of from 

 fix and a half to feven fathoms. Not a fhoal is 

 there to be met with. At an equal diftance from 

 ks two extremities, where the rather coarfe fand 

 predominates, the ground is not fo good ; there 

 is alfo lefs water, for by the lead we had here 

 only fix fathoms. It fhould feem that the tide, 

 entering by the two extremities at once, had 

 drifted thefe fands into the place where the con- 

 trary currents meet. There is no danger to be ap- 

 prehended in approaching the land to within the 

 diftance of two hectometers. The windings of 

 this channel prefent a very Hiverfified profpect 

 and fituations truly picturefque. 



The feafon was far advanced, and the thermo- 

 meter, although we were near the 44th degree 

 of fbuth latitude, had not been lower than 7 

 above o. Boiflerous winds were very prevalent 

 in the offing, while in the Strait we enjoyed the 

 calmed weather. We did not expect to find 

 fuch perfect fafety fo near Storm Bay. 



The 



