clxxiv INTRODUCTION. [Prior Discoveries. 
Flinders south of the cape, the black cliffs extend seven or eight miles when 
and Bass, , •, _ 0 
1798. tne shore talis back, eastward, to a sandy bay, of which little could 
be perceived. 
Our situation at dusk, was three miles from the cliffs, with Cape 
Grim bearing N. 18 8 E. The furthest land, beyond the sandy bay, 
bore S. 4 0 E. four or five leagues, and proved to be near the western- 
most point of Van Diemen's Land. The wind being strong at 
E. N. E. and the night dark and tempestuous, we kept as much under 
the land as possible; but found ourselves in the morning, Dec. 10, to 
be driven far to the south-westward. At eight o'clock, the wind 
having moderated, we made sail, S. E. ~E. ; and at noon, were in 
the following situation. 
Latitude observed, - - _ 41 13A s 
Sandy west Pt. of V. D. Land, dist. 10 m. N. 10 W. 
Furthest extreme, a low point, - S. 22 E. 
An inland mount, - _ S. 53 E. 
The nearest part of the coast was between two and three miles dis- 
tant, and consisted of sandy beaches, separated by points which had 
many straggling rocks lying off them. At the back of the shore, 
the land was low for two or three miles, and then rose gently to a 
ridge of barren, low hills. The inland mount, set at S. 53 0 E., 
appeared to be the north end of a second chain, much higher, and 
better wooded, than the front ridge: it lies eight miles back from 
the shore, and is named Mount Norfolk, after my little vessel. 
After obtaining the noon's observation and bearings, we steered 
southward along the shore; and at six o'clock, had' passed five 
leagues of the same kind of coast as before described ; but the wind 
then flew round to W. N. W., and made it necessary to haul further 
off. At 6 h . 30', 
Mount Norfolk bore - _ . N. 56 E 
Low, rocky projection, distant four miles, - N. 35 E. 
Distant mount, at the southern end of the back ridge, 
and the furthest land in sight, - - S. 42 E. 
