BY JAMES BACKHOUSE WALKER. 67 



or no temptations of profit to a great trading corporation. 

 As to New Holland, and Van Diemen's Land, its 

 supposed southern extension, tliey were merely obstacles 

 in the way of the lucrative China trade — -jutting out incon- 

 veniently into the South Sea, lengthening the voyage 

 and increasing its dangers. For the sake of the vessels 

 employed in this trade, a knowledge of the Australian 

 coast and its harbours was desirable.* It was probably 

 with the object of finding a convenient harbour of refuge 

 for ships following the southern route to China in their 

 passage I'ound the stormy South Cape of the Australian 

 continent, that, in the j^ear 1793, the Company fitted out 

 an expedition destined for Van Diemen's Land. Cook 

 and Bligh had recently brought home reports which 

 encouraged the idea that a suitable port might be found 

 there, and it is quite possible that rumours of the visit of 

 D'Entrecasteaux the year before had stimulated the 

 Board of Directors to action. 



Lieutenant John Haj^es was appointed to the com- Low's Hist, of 

 mand of the expedition, which consisted of two ships, the *^® Indian 

 Duke of Clarence and the Duchess, and was despatched ^OQ-dob ^^' 

 from India to explore the coasts of Van Diemen's Land 

 and its harbours, and to make its way back to India by the 

 South Sea Islands and the Malay Archipelago. This 

 service Lieut. Hayes performed in a very satisfactory 

 manner. He surveyed the coasts of Tasmania, parts of 

 New Caledonia, of New Guinea and other islands, 

 his voyage extending over two or three years. Un- 

 happily, the results of these valuable surveys were lost 

 to his employers and to England, for the ship taking 

 home his charts and journals was captured by a French 

 man-of-war, all his papers were taken to Paris and have 

 never since seen the light.t A rough sketch of the Flinders' 

 Derwent made by Hayes found its way to Sydney, and Voyage, 

 is frequently referred to by Flinders in the account of -^'^*^'^-' P- ^*' 

 his voyage. This is all we know of his exploration of 

 Tasmania, and of the Honorable East India Coippany's 

 first, last, and only discovery expedition to Australian 

 waters. 



* It was considered a chief object of every exploring expedition 

 to find harbonrs suitable for the East India Company's ships. When 

 Flindprs was about to sail in the Investigator to exploi'e the Aus- 

 tralian coast, thp Court of Directois, on being applied to, made him 

 an allowance of £1200 as '' batta money" — a practical recognition 

 of their interest in his expedition.— Brabourne Pamphlet, p. 13. 



t There is good reason to believe that Hayes' charts and journals 

 are in the National Library in Paris, or possibly in the Department 

 of Marine and Colonies. It would be well if an effort were made 

 to discover them and have them published. See Appendix. 



