44 
A VOYAGE TO {From the Cape. 
CHAPTER III. 
Departure from False Bay. Remarks on the passage to Terra Australis. 
Gravity of sea-water tried. Cape Lekuwin, and the coast from thence 
to King George's Sound. Arrival in the Sound. Examination of the 
harbours. Excursion inland. Country , soil , and productions . Native 
inhabitants: Language and anatomical measurement. Astronomical 
and nautical observations. 
At daybreak of November 4, a light breeze from the eastward 
enabled me to quit Simon's Bay, after a stoppage of eighteen days. 
The high land of Great Smit's Winkel afterwards becalmed the 
sails ; and we were no further advanced, at noon, than to have 
the Cape Point bearing south-west, at the distance of two or 
three leagues. On receiving the breeze, which came from the 
south -south-west, we stretched towards Cape Agulhas, veering ship 
Thursday 5. at eleven at night, on coming into 50 fathoms. This wind died away 
in the morning, and remained calm till noon ; the Cape Point then 
bore N. W. £ N., Cape False N. £ E., and our latitude was 34, 0 36'. 
Near this situation, the bottom is a greenish mud, at the depth of 
78 fathoms. 
The report of the guns fired by the squadron in Simon's Bay, 
to commemorate the escape from gunpowder treason, was distinctly 
heard at one o'clock, when we were occupied in making sail to a fine 
breeze which had sprung up from the south-westward. At six in 
the evening, it blew fresh with cloudy weather ; the extremes of the 
land bore from N. 20 s W. to 58 s E., and we took our departure for 
New Holland. 
Lieutenant Flinders observed azimuths this evening from the 
