Between the Archipelagos.] TERRA AUSTRALIS. 
101 
the coast, more than would probably have been required had I kept isos. 
at a distance, was not without some advantage to geography and Januar y- 
navigation. 
At Cape Leeuwin, the largest lie St. Alouarn of D'Entrecas- (Atlas, 
teaux was seen to be joined to the main, and to form the south- 
western extremity of Lee u win's Land, and of Terra Australis. The 
coast from thence to King George's Sound was more accurately 
investigated than the French admiral had an opportunity of doing, 
and his omission of soundings supplied. Captain Vancouver's chart 
is superior to that of the French, from Cape Chatham to the Sound; 
but that officer's distance from some parts prevented him from see- 
ing them correctly. In the Sound, no particular advantage will be 
derived from the new survey, the plan given by Vancouver being 
sufficiently correct for nautical purposes, with the exception of the 
bar to Oyster Harbour, over which he had marked seventeen feet, 
but where thirteen now appeared to be the greatest depth. From 
King George's Sound to Point Hood, the coast had been very indis- 
tinctly, and sometimes not at all seen by Vancouver; but I found it, 
speaking generally, to be laid down by D'Entrecasteaux with accuracy, 
though the bights in the land are marked somewhat too deep, from 
his distance not allowing the low beaches to be always distinguished. 
These trifling inaccuracies were remedied, the passages between 
Bald and Doubtful Islands and the main land opposite to them 
ascertained to be safe, and the omission of soundings along the coast 
remedied. 
In Doubtful-Island Bay the French chart does not give the 
north-western part sufficiently deep ; but the coast from thence to 
the Archipelago of the Recherche, as also the reefs and rocks, were 
well distinguished, better perhaps than by me; but the usual want 
of soundings, with the exception of some distant ones by Vancouver, 
still continued. D'Entrecasteaux's chart appeared to be excellent 
in the western part of the archipelago, and good in the positions of 
the islands on the outskirts ; so that I have, in some cases, borrowed 
vol. i. R r 
Plate II.) 
