I must acknowledge myself to have been disappointed in not being able to penetrate into the interior of New South Wales, by either of the openings examined in this expedition; but, however mortifying the conviction might be, it was then an ascertained fact, that no river of importance intersected the East Coast between the 24th and 39th degrees of south latitude.

CONCLUSIVE REMARKS.

The account of the discoveries which resulted from the establishment of the colony in New South Wales, closes with this expedition; and it remains only to point out what was wanted to be done in these parts of Terra Australis.

(Atlas, Plate I.)

In Van Diemen’s Land, the opening round Point St. Vincent and the space between Maria’s Island and Cape Portland required to be further explored.  The north side also, from the want of a time keeper in the Norfolk, required to have the longitude of its points better ascertained; and that the bight between Circular Head and Cape Grim should be examined.  In Bass’ Strait, some of the islands were known, but the middle of the strait and its western entrance were in want of much investigation, before it could be deemed a safe passage for ships; and the greater part of the coast on the north side, remained as laid down by Mr. Bass, with all the uncertainty attending the navigation of an open boat.

On the east coast of New South Wales, from Bass’ Strait to Bustard Bay in latitude 24 deg., the shore might be said to be well explored; but from thence northward to Cape York, there were several portions which had either been passed by captain Cook in the night, or at such a distance in the day time, as to render their formation doubtful:  The coast from 15 deg. 30’ to 14 deg. 30’ was totally unknown.

The following openings or bights had been seen and named by captain Cook, but were yet unexamined:  Keppel and Shoal-water Bays; Broad Sound; Repulse, Edgecumbe, Cleveland, Halifax, Rockingham, and Weary Bays.  To the northward of these were Weymouth, Temple, Shelburne, and Newcastle Bays; and perhaps many others which distance did not permit our great navigator to notice.  There was also a numerous list of islands, of which a few only had been examined; and several were merely indicated from a distant view.

From 16 deg. northward to Cape York, an extensive chain of reefs had been found to lie at a considerable distance from the coast, without side of the islands; and two vessels from Port Jackson had met with others further south, extending nearly from 21 deg. to 23 deg..  It was of importance to ascertain the limits of these vast bodies of coral, were it only on account of the ships employed in the whale fishery; but in the view to future settlements within the tropic, it was necessary to be known whether these reefs might form such a barrier to the coast, as to render it inaccessible from the eastward:  if not, then the open parts were to be ascertained.