East Coast, QV.D.'s Land.] INTRODUCTION. cxlix 
here and there, and formed a striking contrast with the verdure of funbehs 
the front scene. ancl Bass - 
1798. 
Our soundings along the south side of the largest Swan Isle were 
generally 8 fathoms, on a sandy bottom ; nor was there much de- 
crease until noon, when the low shore of Cape Portland was at 
something less, and the outer rocky islets something more than a 
mile distant, and we came rather suddenly into 3 fathoms. The 
latitude observed was 40 0 43'i south, and the island last quitted bore 
N. 85 0 to S. 84, 0 E., distant six miles. 
There being little wind at this time, the sloop, in passing round the 
rocky islets of Cape Portland, was carried by the tide over a ledge 
where there was scarcely 2 fathoms ; and was then driven westward 
on a curved line of rippling water, which extended northward from 
the islets as far as the eye could reach. We passed over the rippling 
in 9 fathoms ; and the wind being entirely gone, were then carried to 
the south-west. 
Soon after four o'clock, the ebb appeared to be making ; and the 
anchor was dropped in 1 1 fathoms, sandy bottom, about one mile 
west of Cape Portland. The shore on this side of the cape trends 
south, in rocky heads and beaches, and afterwards curves westward, 
forming an extensive bay, which terminates in a point. To this the 
name of Point JVaterhouse was given, in honour of the commander 
of the Reliance; and an island, whose top is level and moderately 
high, lying off the point, was named Isle Waterhouse. 
The bottom of the large bay is sandy, and the hills of Cape Port- 
land there retiring further back, permitted a view of the inland 
mountains, of which there was a high and extensive ridge. Moun- 
tains like these are usually the parents of rivers ; and the direction 
of the ebb tide, which came from between S. W. by S. and S. W. by 
W. at the rate of two-and-half miles an hour, gave hopes of finding 
some considerable inlet in the bay, and increased our anxiety for a 
fair breeze. 
