East Coast, 8f V. D's Land.-] INTRO DUCTION. cv 
none which he had not been able to pass, either at the sea side, or by C j**"' 
going a few miles round, into the country. A journal of his route 
was published in the Calcutta newspapers, some time in 1798. 
The colonial schooner Francis had made one voyage to Furneaux's 
Islands, and brought from thence captain Hamilton, and part of his 
people and cargo. The same vessel was about to proceed thither 
a second time, and I was anxious to embrace that opportunity of 
exploring those extensive and little known lands ; but the great repairs 
required by the Reliance would not allow of my absence. My friend 
Bass, less confined by his duty, made several excursions, principally 
into the interior parts behind Port Jackson ; with a view to pass over 
the back mountains, and ascertain the nature of the country beyond 
them. His success was not commensurate to the perseverance and 
labour employed : the mountains were impassable ; but the course 
of the river Grose, laid down in Plate VIII., resulted from one of these 
excursions. 
In September, a small colonial vessel having been carried off by Sho^rtla* d 
convicts, lieutenant John Shortland, first of the Reliance,* went 
after them to the northward, in an armed boat. The expedition was n <Atias, 
fruitless, as to the proposed object ; but in returning along the shore 
from Port Stephens, Mr. Shortland discovered a port in latitude 33 0 , 
capable of receiving small ships; and what materially added to 
the importance of the discovery, was a stratum of coal, found to 
run through the south head of the port, and also pervaded a cliffy 
island in the entrance. These coals were not only accessible to ship- 
ping, but of a superior quality to those in the cliffs near Hat Hill. 
The port was named after His Excellency governor Hunter ; and 
a settlement, called Nezv Castle, has lately been there established. 
The entrance is narrow, and the deepest water ( about three fathoms ) 
* Afterwards captain of the Junon. He was mortally wounded, whilst bravely defend- 
ing his Majesty's frigate against a vastly superior force ; and died at Guadaloupe. 
VOL. II. P 
