228 
A VOYAGE TO 
[North Coast 
1803. 
February. 
Thursday 17. 
and two miles long; the rest are smaller, and the whole seemed to 
be connected by rocks under water ; but between Cape Wilberforce 
and the nearest islet was a space three-quarters of a mile wide, 
towards which we worked up against a fresh wind at W. N. W. 
At noon, the two cliffy parts of the cape bore S. - E. and W. ~ N., 
from one to two miles ; and the latter, which is the north extremity, 
was ascertained to lie in lT 52' south, and 136’° 33' east. 
At this time the weather became squally with much rain; but 
after numberless tacks, made under double-reefed top sails and 
courses in the narrow passage, with soundings from 10 to 18 fathoms, 
we cleared it at two o’clock, and stretched south-westward as the main 
coast was found to trend ; and thus was the examination of the 
Gulph of Carpentaria finished, after employing one hundred and five 
days in coasting along its shores and exploring its bays and islands. 
The extent of the Gulph in longitude, from Endeavour’s Strait to 
Cape Wilberforce, is Sj, and in latitude f; and the circuit, exclud- 
ing the numerous islands and the openings, is little less than four 
hundred leagues. It will be remarked that the form of it, given in 
the bid charts, is not very erroneous, which proves it to have been 
the result of a real examination ; but as no particulars, were known of 
the discovery of the south and western parts, not even the name of the 
author, though opinion ascribed it with reason to Tasman, so the 
chart was considered as little better than a representation of fairy 
land, and did not obtain the credit which it was now proved to have 
merited. Henceforward, the Gulph of Carpentaria will take its sta- 
tion amongst the conspicuous parts of the globe in a decided character. 
After clearing the narrow passage between Cape Wilberforce 
and Bromby’s Isles, we followed the main coast to the S. W.; hav- 
ing on the starbord hand some high and large islands, which closed 
in towards the coast a-head so as to make it doubtful whether there 
were any passage between them. Under the nearest island was 
perceived a canoe full of men; and in a sort of roadsted, at the south 
end of the same island, there were six vessels covered over like 
