176 
A VOYAGE TO 
[South Coast. 
1802. No set of tide was observable until three o'clock, when it made 
Satoday 27. g ent ty to tne north-east, towards the new inlet ; and a breeze 
springing up at south-east soon afterward, we pursued the same 
course, and were well within the entrance at eight o'clock. Fires 
were seen a-head ; but the soundings being regular, and increasing, 
we kept on until midnight ; when the land was seen also, and we 
Sunday 28. stood back for two hours. At daylight I recognised Mount Lofty, 
upon the highest part of the ridge of mountains which, from Cape 
Jervis, extends northward behind the eastern shore of the inlet. 
The nearest part of the coast was distant three leagues, mostly low, 
and composed of sand and rock, with a few small trees scattered 
over it ; but at a few miles inland, where the back mountains rise, 
the country was well clothed with forest timber, and had a fertile 
appearance. The fires bespoke this to be a part of the continent. 
Light airs and calms prevailed during the morning, and the 
ship had very little way until noon, when a breeze sprung up at 
south-west. Our situation was then in 
Latitude, observed to the north and south, - 35 0 4/ 13" 
Longitude by time keepers, - - 138 23 
Mount Lofty bore - - - N. 71 E. 
Southern extreme toward Cape Jervis, - S. 17 W. 
Northern extreme, trees above the water, N. 32 E. 
The situation of Mount Lofty was found from hence and from some 
other cross bearings, to be 34 0 59' south and 138 0 42' east. No 
land was visible so far to the north as where the trees appeared 
above the horizon, which showed the coast to be very low, and our 
soundings were fast decreasing. From noon to six o'clock we ran 
thirty miles to the northward, skirting a sandy shore at the distance 
of five, and thence to eight miles ; the depth was then 5 fathoms, 
and we dropped the anchor upon a bottom of sand, mixed with 
pieces of dead coral. 
Monday 29. In the morning, land was seen to the westward, and also a 
hummocky mountain, capped with clouds, apparently near the head 
