From the time of leaving Port Dalrymple no tide had been observed, until this morning.  It ran with us, and continued until three o’clock; at which time low land was seen beyond the three hummocks.  This trending of the coast so far to the north made me apprehend, that it might be found to join the land near Western Port, and thus disappoint our hopes of discovering an open passage to the westward; the water was also discoloured, as if we were approaching the head of a bay, rather than the issue of a strait; and on sounding, we had 17, and afterwards 15 fathoms on a sandy bottom.

The wind having become light and the tide turned to the eastward, our situation at dusk was little altered from what it had been at three o’clock; but from the clearing away of the haze, the lands in the great bight had become more distinguishable, and the following bearings were taken: 

Table Cape, distant 11 or 12 leagues, S. 431/2 deg.  E.
Circular Head, S. 26 E.
Sugar-loaf hummock, N. 75 W.
Extreme of the three-hummock land, N. 48 W.
Low point in the great bight, with a cliffy
head at a further distance behind it, S. 70 W.

The cliffs visible behind the low point had every appearance of being the north head of an opening, but of what kind, our distance was too great to determine.*

[* In 1804, Mr. Charles Robbins, acting lieutenant of His Majesty’s ship Buffalo, was sent from Port Jackson to examine this great bight; and from his sketch it is, that the unshaded coast and soundings written at right angles are laid down in the chart.]

During the night and next day, Dec. 7, the wind was variable, with alternate calms.  The latitude at noon was 40 deg. 28’, and the sugarloaf hill bore W. by S. ten miles.  On the 8th a breeze sprung up from the south-westward, and threatened a gale from that boisterous quarter.  We were in 40 deg. 23’ at noon, and trying to work up to the land of the three hummocks, to prevent losing ground; and at six in the evening, got to an anchor in a quarter less 4 fathoms, in a small sandy bight under the northern hummock, being sheltered from N. 2 deg.  E., round by the west to S. 30 deg.  E. Circular Head was still visible, bearing S. 35 deg.  E.; and the difference of longitude made from Port Dalrymple was calculated at 13/4 deg., subject to future revision.

Mr. Bass and myself landed immediately to examine the country and the coast, and to see what food could be procured; for the long detention by foul winds had obliged me to make a reduction in the provisions, lest the object of our voyage and return to Port Jackson should not be accomplished in the twelve weeks for which we were victualled.  At dusk, we returned on board, having had little success as to any of the objects proposed; but with the knowledge of a fact, from which an interesting deduction was drawn: