1793.

Frustrated in his expectation of procuring fresh water, and having no more than sufficient, at a short allowance, to reach Van Diemen’s Land, the admiral abandoned the investigation of the South Coast, on Jan. 3; being then in latitude 31 deg. 49’ south, and longitude 131 deg. 381/2’ east of Greenwich.

In the otherwise excellent charts constructed by M. BEAUTEMPS-BEAUPRE, geographical engineer on board La Recherche, there is an extraordinary omission, arising either from the geographer, or the conductor of the voyage.  In the first 12 deg. of longitude no soundings are marked along the coast; whilst, in the last 50, they are marked with tolerable regularity:  the cause of this difference is not explained.

In comparing the French chart with that of Nuyts, it appeared that the rear-admiral had not proceeded so far along this coast as the Dutch navigator had done; for he did not see the islands of St. Francis and St. Peter, nor the reef marked about thirty leagues to the west of them.  The point, however, where D’Entrecasteaux’s examination terminated, was, in all probability, within a few leagues of that reef; and the end of Nuyts’ discovery would be between 133 deg. and 134 deg. to the east of Greenwich.

CONCLUSIVE REMARKS.

The South Coast was not known, in 1801, to have been visited by any other than the three navigators, Nuyts, Vancouver, and D’Entrecasteaux.* The coast line, from Cape Leeuwin to near the longitude of 132 deg., was generally so well ascertained, and the charts of Vancouver and D’Entrecasteaux appeared to be so good, that little remained in this space for future visitors to discover.  At two places, the country and productions near the sea-side had also been examined; though no communication had any where been obtained with the inhabitants.  It was known also from Nuyts, that at 133 deg. or 134 deg. of east longitude, commenced a second archipelago; and that the coast began there to assume an irregular form; but in what direction it trended, whether to the south-eastward for Bass’ Strait, or northward for the Gulph of Carpentaria, was altogether uncertain.

[* It afterwards appeared, that lieutenant James Grant had discovered a part of it in 1800, in his way to Port Jackson with His Majesty’s brig Lady Nelson.]

The great point, then, which required to be ascertained, was the form of the land from longitude 133 deg. to 146 deg. east, and from south latitude 32 deg. to 381/2 deg.; comprising a space of two hundred and fifty leagues in a straight line.  What rendered a knowledge of this part more particularly interesting, was the circumstance of no considerable river having been found on any of the coasts of Terra Australis previously explored:  but it was scarcely credible that, if this vast country were one connected mass of land, it should not contain some large rivers; and if any, this unknown part was one of two remaining places, where they were expected to discharge themselves into the sea.