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.  This occupied him three months:  at the end of this period he was obliged, by the sickness of his crew, to sail for Timor, which he reached on the 31st of March, 1803.

As the Investigator was no longer fit for service, she was condemned.  Captain Flinders resolved, as he could not finish the survey, to return to England, in order to lay his journals and charts before the Admiralty:  he accordingly embarked on board the Porpoise store ship, which, in company with the Cato and Bridgwater, bound to Batavia, sailed in August, 1803.  The Porpoise and Cato were wrecked on a reef of rocks nearly 800 miles from Botany Bay:  most of the charts, logs, and astronomical observations were saved; but the rare plants, as well as the dried specimens, were lost or destroyed.  On the 26th of August, Captain Flinders left the reef in the cutter, and after a passage of considerable danger, reached Port Jackson on the 8th of September.  As he was extremely anxious to lodge his papers as soon as possible with the Lords of the Admiralty, he embarked from Port Jackson in a vessel, something less than a Gravesend passage boat, being only 29 tons burden.  Even in such a vessel, Captain Flinders did not lose sight of the objects nearest his heart:  he passed through Torres’ Straits, examined Pandora’s entrance, explored new channels among the coral reefs, examined Prince of Wales Island, crossed the Gulf of Carpentaria, and after anchoring at some islands on the western side of the gulf, directed his route to Timor: