East Coast, Sf V. D. s Land,] INTRODUCTION. 
cxciii 
Jan. g, the wind blew strong at S. S. E., with thick, hazy weather. Fx 
At eight in the morning, high land was distinguished two points on 
the weather bow, and sand hills from thence to abaft the lee beam, 
not more than six or seven miles distant. We immediately hauled 
the wind to the eastward, and carried every sail the sloop could bear 
in such a sea as was then running. The land to windward was 
judged to be near the Ram Head ; although our reckoning was 
20' short in latitude, and we supposed ourselves to the eastward. 
To make certain of clearing Cape Howe, the eastern course was 
prolonged until day-light of the 1 oth ; we then bore away, and at 
noon were in latitude 37 0 5'. On the 11th, the observation gave 34 0 
30' ; and the gale still continuing, we anchored within the heads of 
Port Jackson at ten o'clock the same evening, having exceeded, 
by no more than eleven days, the time which had been fixed for our 
return. 
To the strait which had been the great object of research, and 
whose discovery was now completed, governor Hunter gave, at my 
recommendation, the name of Bass' Strait. This was no more than 
a just tribute to my worthy friend and companion, for the extreme 
dangers and fatigues he had undergone in first entering it in the whale 
boat, and to the correct judgment he had formed from various indi- 
cations, of the existence of a wide opening between Van Diemen's 
Land and New South Wales. 
Th e success of this expedition favoured my views of further dis- Flinders. 
covery ; and the Reliance not being immediately wanted for service, 17 "' 
His Excellency accepted a proposition to explore Glass-house and 
Hervey's Bays, two large openings to the northward, of which the 
entrances only were known. I had some hope of finding a consi- 
derable river discharging itself at one of these openings, and of 
being able by its means to penetrate further into the interior of the 
country than had hitherto been effected. 
The sloop Norfolk was again allotted to me, with nearly the same 
vol. 1. C c 
