amage, our
fore-top-mast went by the board, and carried the main-top-gallant-mast
with it. This occasioned some delay, as it took up the whole day to
clear the wreck, and fit another top-mast. The former was accomplished
without losing any part of it, except a few fathoms of small rope. Not
having a spare main-top-gallant-mast on board, the fore-top-gallant-mast
was converted into one for our immediate use.

The wind continued westerly, blew a fresh gale, and was attended with
clear weather, so that scarcely a day passed without being able to get
observations for fixing the longitude, and the variation of the compass.
The latter decreased in such a manner, that in the latitude of 44 deg. 18'
S. longitude 132 deg. 2' E., it was no more than 5 deg. 34' 18" W.; and on the
22d, being then in the latitude of 43 deg. 27' S. longitude 141 deg. 50' E., it
was 1 deg. 24' 15" E. So that we had crossed the Line where the compass has
no variation.

On the 24th, at three o'clock in the morning, we discovered the coast of
Van Diemen's Land, bearing N. 1/2 W. At four o'clock the S.W. cape bore
N.N.W. 1/2 W., and the Mewstone N.E. by E. three leagues distant. There
are several islands and high rocks lying scattered along this part of
the coast, the southernmost of which is the Mewstone. It is a round
elevated rock, five or six leagues distant from the S.W. cape, in the
direction of S. 55 deg. E.

At noon, our latitude was 43 deg. 47' S. longitude 147 deg. E., and the
situation of the lands round us as follows: An elevated round-topped
hill bore N. 17 deg. W.; the S.W. cape N. 74 deg. W.; the Mewstone W. 1/2 N.;
Swilly Isle, or Rock, S. 49 deg. E.; and the S.E. of S. cape N. 40 deg. E.
distant near three leagues. The land between the S.W. and S. capes is
broken and hilly, the coast winding, with points shooting out from it;
but we were too far off to be able to judge whether the bays formed by
these points were sheltered from the sea-winds. The bay which appeared
to be the largest and deepest, lies to the westward of the peaked hill
above mentioned. The variation of the compass here was 5 deg. 15' E.

At six o'clock in the afternoon we sounded, and found sixty fathoms
water, over a bottom of broken coral and shells. The S. cape then bore
N. 75 deg. W. two or three leagues distant; Tasman's Head N.E.; and Swilly
Rock S. by W 1/2 W. About a league to the eastward of Swilly is another
elevated rock, that is not taken notice of by Captai