There was every appearance of an extensive
strait, or rather an open sea, between the latitudes of 39 degrees and 40
degrees south, and that Van Diemen's land consisted (as had been
conjectured) of a group of islands lying off the southern coast of the
country.
It appeared from Mr. Bass's account, that there was but very little good
ground to the southward. His occasional excursions into the interior,
situated as he found himself with an open boat, in which he could carry
but a small stock of provisions, could not be very extensive; he,
however, went far enough to discover that there was but little good land
near the sea; but, had it even been superior to those parts which were
known, the want of harbours, even for small vessels, would lessen its
value much. He regretted that he had not been possessed of a better
vessel, which would have enabled him to circumnavigate Van Diemen's land.
In the _Francis_, which was at this time on her passage to the
island where the _Sydney Cove_ was wrecked, the governor had sent
Lieutenant Flinders of the _Reliance_, a young gentleman well
qualified for the purpose, who was instructed to make what observations
he was able relative to the anchorage and situation of those islands.
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