cxx INTRODUCTION. [.Prior Discoveries. 
Bam. was explored, has not, perhaps, its equal in the annals of maritime 
history. The public will award to its high spirited and able con- 
ductor, alas ! now no more, an honourable place in the list of those 
whose ardour stands most conspicuous for the promotion of useful 
knowledge. #■ 
Flinders. 
1798. 
Durin g the time that Mr. Bass was absent on his expedition in 
the whale boat, the Francis schooner was again sent with captain 
Hamilton to the wreck of his ship the Sydney Cove ; to bring up 
what remained of the cargo at Preservation Island, and the few 
people who were left in charge. On this occasion I was happy 
enough to obtain governor Hunter's permission to embark in the 
schooner ; in order to make such observations serviceable to geo- 
graphy and navigation, as circumstances might afford; and Mr. 
Reed, the master, was directed to forward these views as far as was 
consistent with the main objects of his voyage. 
Pk^vih.) Feb ' *' We Sailed ° Ut of Port Jackson with a fair ; and on 
the following noon, the observed latitude was 35 ° 42', being 14' 
south of account. I prevailed on Mr. Reed to stand in for the land 
which was then visible through the haze ; and at sunset, we reached 
into Bateman Bay* When the two rocky islets in the middle of 
the bay bore S. by W. i W., a short mile, we had 8 fathoms water, 
and 6 fathoms a mile further in. The north head is steep with a 
rock lying off it ; but Bateman Bay falls back too little from the line 
of the coast to afford shelter against winds from the eastward. The 
margin of the bay is mostly a beach, behind which lie sandy, rocky 
hills of moderate elevation. 
In the morning of the 3rd, we steered S. by W. along the shore ; 
and saw, in latitude about S5°5^', and eight or nine miles from the 
* The bearings in the following account are corrected, as usual, for the variation ; but I 
am sorry to say that the steering compasses of the schooner proved to be bad, and there 
was no azimuth compass on board. 
