December 27.

But from light baffling winds had advanced no farther by noon (27th) than four or five miles South-South-West of Lady Julia Percy’s Isle.  This island is incorrectly laid down in Captain Flinders’ chart, owing to the very unfavourable weather which he experienced in passing this part of the coast; we found it to lie East 3 degrees South (true) seventeen miles and a half from Lawrence Island:  a second island has a place in Captain Flinders’ chart, but we saw nothing of it.  The coast also lies farther back in proportion to the error of the island’s position.

1820.  January 2.

At four o’clock p.m. 2nd January we entered Bass Strait by the channel on the north side of King’s Island.

January 12.

After passing through the strait we experienced so much bad weather and contrary gales of wind that we did not arrive at Port Jackson until the morning of the 12th, having been absent thirty-five weeks and four days.

The result of our proceedings during this voyage has been the survey of 540 miles of the northern coast, in addition to the 500 that were previously examined.  Besides which we had made a running survey of that portion of the intertropical part of the east coast that is situated between the Percy Isles and Torres Strait; a distance of 900 miles; the detailed survey of which had never before been made, for Captain Cook merely examined it in a cursory manner as he passed up the coast.  The opportunity, therefore, was not lost of making such observations on our voyage as enabled me to present to the public a route towards Torres Strait infinitely preferable on every account to the dangerous navigation without the reefs, which has hitherto been chiefly used.

As it was not intended that I should make the survey of this extensive tract of coast I did not feel myself authorized to examine in any very detailed way the bottom of every bay or opening that presented itself; but merely confined myself to laying down the vessel’s track and the positions of various reefs that were strewed on either side of it; and also to fixing the situations of the head-lands.  In doing this enough has been effected to serve as the precursor of a more particular examination of the coast, the appearance of which, from its general fertile and mountainous character, made me regret the necessity of passing so hastily over it.

CHAPTER 9. 
Equipment for the third voyage. 
Leave Port Jackson. 
Loss of bowsprit, and return. 
Observations upon the present state of the colony, as regarding the
effect of floods upon the River Hawkesbury. 
Re-equipment and final departure. 
Visit Port Bowen. 
Cutter thrown upon a sandbank. 
Interview with the natives, and description of the country about Cape
Clinton. 
Leave Port Bowen. 
Pass through the Northumberland, and round the Cumberland Islands. 
Anchor at Endeavour River. 
Summary of observations taken there.