220 
SURVEY OP THE INTERTROPICAL 
1822 . was found necessary to make a considerable re- 
Mar. 25. duction in the allowance. 
April 13. On the 13th of April, the north-west end of 
Van Diemen’s Land came in sight, but it was 
not until the 15th that we entered Bass’ Strait 
by the passage between King’s and Hunter’s 
Islands. Off Cape Howe we boarded a trading 
brig belonging to Port Jackson bound to Van 
Diemen’s Land, from which we obtained pleasing 
and satisfactory news of our friends at Sydney, 
as also the gratifying intelligence of the promo- 
tion of myself to the rank of commander, and of 
Messrs. Bedwell and Roe to that of lieutenant. 
The promotion of the latter gentleman was under 
circumstances of the most flattering nature, and 
here not only offers a most satisfactory proof of 
the approbation bestowed by the Lords Com- 
missioners of the Admiralty upon my zealous 
assistant, but precludes me from the otherwise 
pleasing task of giving my humble testimonial 
of his conduct and merits. 
Between Cape Howe and Port Jackson we 
experienced much bad weather, which delayed 
our arrival so long, that we had expended all 
our bread, and were reduced to a very small 
proportion of water: we, however, succeeded in 
23 , effecting our arrival at Sydney by the 25th, after 
an absence of 344 days. 
