M. KUALT COUTANCE. 175 



notice here, as the Dentrecasteaux Isles of the 

 charts belong' to the north-east coast of New Guinea. 



In June 1793, Messrs. Bampton and Alt, in the 

 English merchant ships Hormuzeer and Chesterfield, 

 got embayed on the south-east coast of New Guinea, 

 and after in vain seeking a passage out to the 

 north-east, were forced to abandon the attempt and 

 make their way to the westward, through Torres 

 Strait, which they were no less than seventy-three 

 days in clearing. Among other hydrographical 

 results, was the discovery of large portions of the 

 land forming the north-west shores of this bay, 

 extending from Bristow Island to the northward 

 and eastward for a distance of 120 miles. 



In 1804, M. Rualt Coutance, commanding the 

 French privateer L'Ad^le, made several discoveries 

 on the south-east coast of New Guinea which were 

 recorded by Freycinet, from the MS. journal of 

 Coutance, in the history of Baudin's voyage.* A 

 portion of this is unquestionably the land seen by 

 Captain Bligh in 1792,— but in addition detached 

 portions of the shores of the great bight of the 

 south-east coast were seen, as in the neighbourhood 

 of Freshwater Bay and elsewhere. 



Mr. Bristow, the master of an English merchant 



* Voyage de d^couvertes aux Terres Australes, execute sur les 

 corvettes Le Geographe, Le Naturaliste, et la goelette La Casua- 

 rina — pendant les anuees 1801-4, sous le commandement du 

 Capitaine de vaisseau N. Baudin. Redige par M. Louis Freycinet. 

 Navigation et Geographic, p. 462, and Atlas, pi. 1, 



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