Wellesley’s Islands .] TERRA AUSTRALIS. 
148 
but that if she remain in fine weather and happen no accident, she 
may run six months longer without much risk. 
To Matthew Flinders, Esq. 
Commander of His Majesty’s 
sloop the Investigator. 
We are, SIR, 
your obedient servants, 
John Aken, master, 
Russel Mart, carpenter. 
]802. 
November. 
Friday 26. 
I cannot express the surprise and sorrow which this statement 
gave me. According to it, a return to Port Jackson was almost 
immediately necessary ; as well to secure the journals and charts of 
the examinations already made, as to preserve the lives of the ship’s 
company ; and my hopes of ascertaining completely the exterior form 
of this immense, and in many points interesting country, if not de- 
stroyed, would at least be deferred to an uncertain period. My 
leading object had hitherto been, to make so accurate an investiga- 
tion of the shores of Terra Australis that no future voyage to 
this country should be necessary and' with this always in view, 
I had ever endeavoured to follow the land so closely, that the 
washing of the surf upon it should be visible, and no opening, nor 
any thing of interest escape notice. Such a degree of proximity is 
what navigators have usually thought neither necessary nor safe to 
pursue, nor was it always persevered in by us ; sometimes because 
the direction of the wind or shallowness of the water made it im- 
practicable, and at other times because the loss of the ship would 
have been the probable consequence of approaching so near to a lee 
shore. But when circumstances were favourable, such was the plan 
I pursued ; and with the blessing of God, nothing of importance 
should have been left for future discoverers, upon any part of these 
extensive coasts; but with a ship incapable of encountering bad 
weather, — which could not be repaired if sustaining injury from any 
of the numerous shoals or rocks upon the coast, — which, if constant 
fine weather could be ensured and all accidents avoided, could not 
run more than six months;— with such a ship, I knew not how to. 
accomplish the task. 
