All parts of the coast in this interval are proportionally in error as to latitude but tolerably well placed in reference to the coast. The subjoined are the positions now assigned to the following places, namely:
COLUMN 1: NAME OF PLACE.
COLUMN 2: LATITUDE.
COLUMN 3: LONGITUDE ACCORDING TO CAPTAIN FLINDERS’
SURVEY.
South Cape : 43 degrees 38 minutes : 146 degrees 56 minutes.
Mewstone : 43 degrees 46 minutes : 146 degrees 31 1/2 minutes.
South-west Cape : 43 degrees 39 minutes : 146 degrees 12 minutes.
The south-east cape of Bruny Island, Tasman’s Head, is also placed too much to the southward in Captain Flinders’ chart as well as in that of Baudin. From the Mermaid it was set in a line with the south-east cape on the bearing of North 56 degrees East (the vessel’s head being to the eastward); and on this occasion (the brig’s head being to the westward) it bore, when in the same line, North 53 degrees East. The variation in the latter case was 9 degrees East, but in the former no more than 6 degrees was allowed, and Captain Flinders found even 4 degrees sufficient.
I passed outside the Mewstone and took its bearing as it came on with the points of the land between the south-west and the south-east capes, by which I satisfied myself beyond a doubt of the correctness of my observations and of the error into which Captain Flinders had fallen, and which must either be attributed to the imperfection of his instrument or to his reading off the altitude 10 minutes in error; and as there is just that difference between it and the position assigned by Captain Furneaux, which is also confirmed by my observation, the probability is in favour of the last conjecture.
After leaving the coast of Van Diemen’s Land we had much damp, unwholesome weather, and a succession of heavy westerly gales, in which the brig was occasionally much pressed.
1822. November 8-31.
And it was not until the 8th of November that we made Bald Island, which is to the eastward of King George’s Sound. We were now much in need of a place to caulk the bends, as well as to repair some temporary damage to the rigging and complete our wood and water. I therefore seized the opportunity of our being near the sound and, steering into it, anchored off the sandy bay within Seal Island and immediately commenced operations. We were however much delayed by hard westerly gales, which not only prevented the carpenter’s caulking, but also delayed our watering, since the boat could not pull to the shore; but as the anchorage was well sheltered we suffered no further inconvenience than the delay.
A few days after our arrival we were surprised by the appearance of a strange vessel beating into the sound; she proved to be an American schooner on a sealing voyage and was coming in for the purpose of careening and cleaning the vessel’s bottom in Oyster Harbour. The natives also made their appearance and some of them being our old friends, immediately recognised us.