East Coast, Sf V. D. 's Land.} INTRODUCTION. 
cxci 
1799. 
We had squally weather in the afternoon, with the wind at north- Flinders 
west ; and being unable to get near Maria's Island before the even- 1 
ing, bore away northward, having then a fresh breeze at W. S. W. 
Schouten's Island was passed within two miles at ten o'clock, and at 
eleven, a piece of land called Vanderlin's Island by Tasman, but 
which has since been found to be the southern extremity of a penin- 
sula. We then steered north, to keep in with the coast ; but the 
wind drawing forward in the morning of the 5th, the sloop was 
drifted off, by noon, to four or five leagues. The land then abreast 
rose in ranges of irregular, well-wooded hills ; and behind them 
were two peaks and a flat-topped piece of land, seemingly not many 
leagues from the shore. The southernmost of the two peaks is the 
most elevated, and appears to be the high round mountain seen by 
Tasman on Dec 4 and 5, 1642 ; I have, therefore, called it Tasman' s 
Peak. It is the northernmost part seen by him on this side of Van 
Diemen's Land, as Mount Heemskerk was on the west coast : the 
flat-topped mountain is that which colonel Paterson afterwards 
named Benlomen. To the southward, the land was visible at a great 
distance ; and if Schouten's Island and the cape of the peninsula near 
it can possibly be seen so far as twenty leagues from the deck, it 
must have been them. My observation and bearings at this time 
were as follow : 
o / 
Latitude observed, - - 41 27-^ S. 
South extreme of the coast, - S. 18 W. 
Another piece of land, like an island, S. 23 W. 
Tasman's Peak, - _ _ S. 63 W. 
Northern extremity of the land, - N. 32 W. 
It was to me a subject of regret, that the wind did not allow of 
keeping close in with this east coast, since captain Furneaux's 
examination was made at too great a distance to be exact ; but my 
limited time of absence being expired, and provisions nearly out, 
nothing more could be attempted than what might be done in the 
way to Port Jackson. 
