TERRA AUSTRALIS. 
357 
Baye da Cap.] 
shelter is formed bv coral reefs, through which a small river falling 1S03 - 
J 1 December. 
into the bay has kept open a passage of about a cable s length wide, Friday is. 
with a depth of 3 fathoms close to the eastern breakers ; within side 
there appeared to be anchorage for six or eight small vessels, in from 
2 to 3 fathoms ; but on account of the flurries of wind which come 
down the gullies and off' the precipices, it is necessary to moor head 
and stern. Mr. Aken found the latitude from an indifferent observa- 
tion to be 20 0 2 g~ south. 
At seven in the evening we passed round Cape Brabant, and the 
pilot then kept north-eastward , close along the reefs under the high 
land; although by so doing we were frequently becalmed, and some- 
times had strong flurries which made it necessary to take in all sail ; 
but it appeared that he was afraid of being driven off' the island. At 
eight in the morning, the mast heads of the vessels in Port Louis were Saturday 17. 
in sight, and there was a large ship lying without side which I hoped 
might be Le Geography. Major Dunienville had informed me that 
this ship had been some time at Mauritius, and so far as he knew, 
was still at the port, though upon the eve of sailing for Europe. 
Captain Baudin died soon after his arrival, and Mons. Melius, who 
had been first lieutenant of Le Naturaliste when at Port Jackson, 
then, commanded. 
During this passage to Port Louis, my mind was occupied in 
turning over all the circumstances of my situation, and the mode of 
’ proceeding likely to be adopted by the new governor. The break- 
ing out of the war, the neglect of providing in the passport for any 
such case as that in which I stood, and the ungracious conduct of the 
commandant at the Baye du Cap, gave me some apprehensions; 
but on the other hand, the intention of the passport to protect the 
persons employed in the expedition, with their charts and journals, 
must be evident; and the conduct of a governor appointed by the 
first consul Bonaparte, who was a professed patron of science, would 
hardly be less liberal than that of two preceding French govern- 
ments to captain Cook in the American, and captain Vancouver in the 
