East Coast, $ V. D.'s Land.} INTRODUCTION. cciii 
were known, but the middle of the strait and its western entrance Conclusive 
were in want of much investigation, before it could be deemed a safe 
passage for ships ; and the greater part of the coast on the north 
side, remained as laid down by Mr. Bass, with all the uncertainty 
attending the navigation of an open boat. 
On the east coast of New South Wales, from Bass' Strait to Bus- 
tard Bay in latitude 24 0 , the shore might be said to be well explored ; 
but from thence northward to Cape York, there were several por- 
tions which had either been passed by captain Cook in the night, or 
at such a ' distance in the day time, as to render their formation 
doubtful : The coast from 15 0 30' to 14° go' was totally unknown. 
The following openings or bights had been seen and named by 
captain Cook, but were yet unexamined: Keppel and Shoal-water 
Bays; Broad Sound; Repulse, Edgecumbe, Cleveland, Halifax, Rock- 
ingham, and Weary Bays. To the northward of these were Wey- 
mouth, Temple, Slielburne, and Newcastle Bays; and perhaps many 
others which distance did not permit our great navigator to notice. 
There was also a numerous list of islands, of which a few only had 
been examined ; and several were merely indicated from a distant 
view. 
From 16 0 , northward to Cape York, an extensive chain of reefs 
had been found to lie at a considerable distance from the coast, 
without side of the islands ; and two vessels from Port Jackson had 
met with others further south, extending nearly from 21 0 to 23 0 . It 
was of importance to ascertain the limits of these vast bodies of 
coral, were it only on account of the ships employed in the whale 
fishery; but in the view to future settlements within the tropick, it 
was necessary to be known whether these reefs might form such a 
barrier to the coast, as to render it inaccessible from the eastward : 
if not, then the open parts were to be ascertained. 
Of the persons, manners, and customs of the inhabitants, little 
new information could be expected. The skirts of their country 
had been examined in the southern parts, and extensive collections 
