Bass' Strait.] 
TERRA AUSTRALIS. 
209 
afterwards learned, one or more passages between the reefs, and iso2. 
another between them and the island.* Saturday 24. 
At three in the afternoon the northern land was in sight, and 
the highest hills of King's Island were sinking below the horizon, as 
seen from the deck. Their distance was twenty-five miles ; and 
consequently the elevation of them is between four and five hundred 
feet above the s level of the sea. At five o'clock, a bluff head, the 
most projecting part of the northern land, was distant three or four 
leagues : it was Captain Grant's 
Cape Otway, and bore - N. 54 0 W. 
The extremes of the land, - N. 58 0 W. to 23 0 E. 
We then hauled to the wind, and stood off" and on ; at day- 
light bore away for the land with a moderate breeze from the south- Sunday 25. 
ward; and at eight o'clock, when Cape Otway bore N.6g°W. ten 
miles, we steered north-eastward along the shore. On the west side 
of Cape Otway the coast falls back somewhat to the north, and pro- 
jects again at the distance of ten or eleven miles ; where it is not, as 
I think, more than three leagues to the east of the headland seen 
under the lee at eight in the evening of the 20th. From Cape 
Otway, eastward, the shore trends east-north-east about three leagues, 
to a projection called Cape Patton, and according to Captain Grant, 
a bay is formed between them ; but at three leagues off, nothing 
worthy of being called a bay could be perceived. Beyond Cape 
Patton the coast took a more northern direction, to a point with a 
flat-topped hill upon it, and further than this it was not visible. 
The whole of this land is high, the elevation of the uppermost 
parts being not less than two thousand feet. The rising hills were 
covered with wood of a deep green foliage, and without any vacant 
* The New Year's Isles form a small roadsted, in which the brig Harrington from Port 
Jackson, commanded by Mr. W. Campbell, had rode out the south-west gale; and was 
lying there at this time, engaged in a sealing speculation. Bass' Strait had not been 
discovered much above two years, and it was already turned to purposes of various utility; 
a strong proof of enterprising spirit in the colonists of New South Wales. 
