Wellesley’’ s Islands.'] 
TERRA AUSTRALIS. 
151 
CHAPTER VII. 
Departure from Sweers’ Island. South side of C. Van Diemen examined. 
Anchorage at Bountiful Island: turtle and sharks there. Land of 
C. Van Diemen proved to be an island. Examination of the main 
coast to Cape Vanderlin. That cape found to be one of a group of 
islands. Examination of the islands ; their soil, &c. Monument of 
the natives. Traces of former visitors to these parts. Astronomical 
and nautical observations. 
On the ist of December we got under way, and passed the reef isos, 
at the south-east end of Sweers' Island. I wished to run close along wednes. 1. 
the north side of this, and of Bentinck's Island, and get in with the ^(Atkis^ 
main land to the west ; but the shoal water and dry banks lying off at ° XIV * 
them presented so much impediment, that we steered north-west- 
ward for land which came in sight in that direction. At noon, the 
land was distant six or seven miles, and appeared to be the inner 
part of that great projection of the main, represented in the old chart 
under the name of Cape Van Diemen; but the rocky nature of the 
shore and unevenness of the surface were so different from the sandy 
uniformity of the continent, that I much doubted of its connexion. 
Our situation at this time, and the bearings taken were as under : 
Latitude, observed to the north and south, - i6° 48' 29" 
Land of Cape Van Diemen, - N. 70° W. to 25 W. 
A piece apparently separated, - N. 18 W. to 11 E. 
Bentinck's I., highest part at the north end, S. 15 E. 
A smoke was rising in the direction of Horse-shoe Island, but no 
land was there visible. 
We had a light breeze at E. by N., and steered westward along 
the rocky shore, at the distance of two or three miles, till five in the 
