Now the
strait removes a part of this danger, by presenting a certain place of
retreat, should a gale oppose itself to the ship in the first part of the
essay; and should the wind come at SW she need not fear making a good
stretch to the WNW, which course, if made good, is within a few degrees
of going clear of all. There is besides King George the Third's Sound,
discovered by Captain Vancouver, situate in the latitude of 35 degrees 03
minutes south, and longitude 118 degrees 12 minutes east; and it is to be
hoped, that a few years will disclose many others upon the coast, as well
as the confirmation or futility of the conjecture*, that a still larger
than Bass Strait dismembers New Holland.
[* To verify or confute this conjecture, Lieutenant, now Captain
Flinders (from whose journal these observations on the advantages
of the strait are taken), has lately sailed in his Majesty's ship
_Investigator_. He is accompanied by several professional men of
great abilities, selected by that liberal and distinguished patron of
merit Sir Joseph Banks, from whose exertions, joined with those of the
commander, navigation and natural history have much information and
gratification to expect.
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