The nearest land, at noon, was a steep head bearing N. 66 deg.  E., one mile and a half; and between this, and the head which bore S. 74 deg.  W., the shore forms a sandy bay four miles deep, where it is probable there may be good anchorage, if two clumps of rock, which lie in the entrance, will admit of a passage in.  After taking bearings of Maatsuyker’s Isles and the different headlands, we bore away eastward, and passed another deep, sandy bight, probably the same in which Mr. Cox anchored in 1789.  At two o’clock, the

South-west Cape, distant 15 or 16 miles, bore W. 2 deg.  S. A steep head at the furthest extreme, which proved to be the South Cape, S. 72 deg.  E. *

[* The magnetic bearing of the South-west Cape was W. 5 deg.  S., and that of the South Cape E. 15 deg.  S. The true variation I believe to have been 8 deg.  E.; but as the sloop’s head was at east, no more than 3 deg. are allowed, from a system which will be hereafter explained.  It seemed necessary to say this, because the formation of the south end of Van Diemen’s Land in my chart, differs from that given by captain Cook, and from those of most others.  In Bayly’s Astronomical Observations, page 192, it appears that six sets of variations were observed on board the Resolution, Mar. 24, 1777, off the South Cape; the mean result of which was 4 deg. 43’ east.  Next morning six other sets were taken near the same place, and the mean variation came out 10 deg.8’ east.  In captain King’s journal, I found the same observations entered, and that the ship’s head was E. by N. 1/2 N. in the first case, and N. W. by W. in the second.  This, with the example in the Francis, page cxxvi {The relevant paragraph begins “Whilst passing round the north end . . .” ebook Ed.}, and that in the Norfolk on the preceding page {a few paragraphs above this point. ebook Ed.}, may serve to show, for the present, that corrections are required to the variation, according to the direction of the vessel’s head.]

At this time we were one mile within, or north of the largest of the islands; and saw with some surprise, for it is three miles from the main, that its grassy vegetation had been burnt.  From hence we steered for the easternmost isle, lying off a wide open bight in the coast, and afterwards hauled up for the South Cape.  The wind died away at six o’clock, when the Cape was one mile distant; but thick clouds were gathering in the south and west, and strong gusts with heavy rain presently succeeded.  Fortunately, the squalls came from the westward, so that we were enabled to get further from those stupendous cliffs; had they come from the south, the consequences might have been fatal to the Norfolk.