Adventure Bay proved to be a valuable discovery, being a good and well-sheltered anchorage, where wood and water were abundant, and procurable without much difficulty.  The country was found to be pleasant; the soil black and rich, though not deep; the sides of the hills covered with large trees of the evergreen kind, growing to a great height before they spread out into branches.  There were several species of land birds; and the aquatic fowl were ducks, teal, and the sheldrake.  An opossum was seen, and the excrement of another quadruped, judged to be of the deer kind.  Sea fish were caught, but not in plenty.  The lagoons abounded with trout and several other sorts of fish.  No natives came down to the ships; but their fires were seen at a distance, and several of their miserable huts were examined.  Not the least mark of canoe or boat was seen, and it was generally thought they had none; “being altogether, from what we could judge, a very ignorant and wretched set of people; though natives of a country capable of producing every necessary of life, and a climate the finest in the world.  We found not the least sign of any minerals or metals.”

After remaining five days in Adventure Bay, captain Furneaux sailed along the coast to the northward, in order to discover whether Van Diemen’s Land were joined to New South Wales.  He passed the Maria’s, Schouten’s, and Vanderlin’s Islands of Tasman, at some distance; and then, closing more in with the coast, he found the land to be low and even, and of an agreeable aspect, “but no signs of a harbour or bay, where a ship might anchor in safety.”  In latitude 40 deg. 50’, the coast, from running nearly north, turned to the westward., and, as captain Furneaux thought, formed a deep bay.  From thence to 39 deg. 50’, is nothing but islands and shoals; the “land high, rocky, and barren.”  In the course northward, past these islands, he had regular soundings, from 15 to 30 fathoms, though no land was visible; it was, however, seen again (or thought to be so) in latitude 39 deg., and nearly due north from the islands.  The bottom then becoming uneven, our navigator discontinued his course, and steered for New Zealand.

Whether Van Diemen’s Land were, or were not, joined to New South Wales, was a question not yet resolved; but captain Furneaux gave it as his opinion, “that there is no strait between New Holland and Van Diemen’s Land, but a very deep bay.”

COOK. 1777.

The next visitor to Van Diemen’s Land was captain JAMES COOK, with his Majesty’s ships Resolution and Discovery.  He made the South-west Cape on Jan. 24, 1777, and steered eastward along the shore, as captain Furneaux had done, but generally at a greater distance:  on the 26th he anchored in Adventure Bay.