In The Subsequent Year 1793,
They Again Made The Coast Of New Holland, Near Lewin's Land, And They
Ascertained That The First Discoveries Had Been Extremely Accurate In The
Latitudes Which They Had Assigned To This Part Of It.
In consequence of the British forming a settlement at Botany Bay, much
additional information was gained, not only regarding the interior of New
Holland, in the vicinity of the settlement, but also regarding part of its
coast:
The most interesting and important discovery relative to the latter
was made towards the end of the year 1797, by Mr. Bass, surgeon of His
Majesty's ship Reliance. He made an excursion in an open boat to the
southward of Port Jackson, as far as 40 degrees of south latitude, and
visited every opening in the coast in the course of his voyage: he observed
sufficient to induce him to believe that Van Dieman's Land was no part of
New Holland. Soon after the return of Mr. Bass, the governor of the English
colony sent out him and Captain Flinders, then employed as a lieutenant of
one of His Majesty's ships on the New South Wales station, with a view to
ascertain whether Mr. Bass's belief of the separation of Van Dieman's Land
was well founded. They embarked on board a small-decked boat of 25 tons,
built of the fir of Norfolk island. In three months they returned to Port
Jackson, after having circumnavigated Van Dieman's Land, and completed the
survey of its coasts. The strait that separates it from New Holland was
named by the governor, Bass's Strait. The importance of this discovery is
undoubted. In voyages from New Holland to the Cape of Good Hope,
considerable time is gained by passing through it, instead of following the
former course. In the year 1800, Captain Flinders was again sent out by the
governor, to examine the coast to the northward of Port Jackson; of this
nothing more was known but what the imperfect notices given of it by
Captain Cook supplied. In this voyage he completely examined all the creeks
and bays as far to the northward as the 25th degree of latitude, and more
particularly Glasshouse and Harvey's Bays. The English government at length
resolved that they would wipe off the reproach, which, as Captain Flinders
observes, was not without some reason attributed to them, "that an
imaginary line of more than 250 leagues of extent, in the vicinity of one
of their colonies, should have been so long suffered to remain traced upon
the charts, under the title of UNKNOWN COAST," and they accordingly
appointed him to the command of an expedition fitted out in England for
this purpose.
Before giving an account of this voyage of Captain Flinders, we shall
abridge, from the Introduction prefixed to it, his clear and methodical
account of the progressive discoveries which have been made on the coast of
New Holland, and of what was still to be explored. He particularly dwelt on
the advantages that would result from a practicable passage through Torres'
Strait; if this could be discovered, it would shorten the usual route by
the north of New Guinea, or the Eastern Islands, in the voyage to India and
China. The immense gulf of Carpentaria was unknown, except a very small
portion of its eastern side. The lands called after Arnheim and Van Dieman
also required and deserved a minute investigation, especially the bays,
shoals, islands, and coasts of the former, and the northern part of the
latter. The north-west coast had not been examined since the time of
Dampier, who was of opinion that the northern portion of New Holland was
separated from the lands to the northward by a strait. The existence of
such a strait, Captain Flinders completely disproved.
With respect to the south coast, at least 250 leagues were unexplored.
Captain Flinders had examined with considerable care and minuteness the
east coast and Van Dieman's Land; but there were still several openings
which required to be better explored.
Such were the principal objects which Captain Flinders had in view in his
voyage; and no person could have been found better qualified to accomplish
these objects. On the 18th of July, 1801, he sailed from England in the
Investigator, of 334 tons: there were on board, beside the proper and
adequate complement of men, an astronomer, a naturalist, a natural history
painter, a landscape painter, a gardener, and a miner. As soon as he
approached the south coast of New Holland, he immediately began his
examination of the coasts, islands, and inlets of that large portion of it,
called Nuyts' Land; he particularly examined all that part of the coast,
which lies between the limit of the discoveries of Nuyts and Vancouver, and
the eastern extremity of Bass' Straits, where he met a French ship,
employed on the same object. In the month of July, 1802, he left Port
Jackson, whither he had gone to refit, and sailing through Torres' Straits
in 36 hours, he arrived in the Gulf of Carpentaria in the latter end of the
season. In the course of this part of his voyage, he examined
Northumberland and Cumberland islands, and the great barrier reefs of coral
rock; and every part of the eastern side of the Gulf of Carpentaria; not a
cape, creek, bay, or island on this coast of the gulf escaped his notice
and examination. It was his intention to have pursued the same mode of
close and minute examination: "following the land so closely, that the
washing of the surf upon it should be visible, and no opening nor any thing
of importance escape notice;" but he was prevented by ascertaining that the
vessel was in such a crazy state, that, though in fine weather she might
hold together for six months longer, yet she was by no means fit for such
an undertaking. After much deliberation what conduct he ought to pursue
under these circumstances, as it was impossible, with such a vessel, he
could at that season return to Port Jackson by the west route, in
consequence of the monsoon (and the stormy weather would render the east
passage equally improper) he resolved to finish the survey of the Gulf of
Carpentaria.
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