makes us labour a good deal. Had altitude longitude by then
143 degrees 13 minutes 40 seconds, these agree with the dead reckoning
within 3 or 4 miles. Latitude 39 degrees 12 minutes 33 seconds. This
weather has again rendered abortive my plan of getting the direct line of
bearing and distance between Cape Farewell and Cape Albany Otway. I shall
only observe that I never experienced such length of bad weather at any
time of year or in any country since I sailed the seas.

"Saturday, January 30th. At half-past 9 A.M. the north point of land bore
north distant 12 miles--made sail for it. At 10 A.M. perceived with
surprise that it was Cape Shanks and Grant's Point instead of Cape
Albany. I now judged it prudent to send our boat down to overhaul for a
channel into the harbour mentioned in the Log of the 5th of this month,
accordingly stood in for it and by noon Cape Shanks bore north-west
distant 6 or 7 miles and Grant's Point north-east by east 10 or 11 miles.
We had a very heavy swell and perceived the surf about Seal Islands
breaking in a fearful manner; sounded every hour.

"Sunday, January 31st. At 2 P.M. passed Seal Island. Observed the long
range of breakers on the western side of the Port: several of them had
shifted their berths nearer to mid channel...the whole of them for
several miles broke incessantly and remarkable lofty--we passed within 2
miles of them. The reefs on the eastern side also broke much further out.
In short the mid channel up this port has (by the immense run of bad
weather) been made narrower. By 5 P.M. got to anchor in Elizabeth's
Cove...out boats. Got the launch ready for sailing in the morning to
explore the channel of the western harbour before mentioned. I went on
shore in the gig. Found the well as we left it full of fine clear water
and our board of directions hanging at the entrance of the pathway. At 4
A.M.* (* It will be seen that Bowen left to explore Port Phillip at 4
A.M. of January 31st and not on February 1st.) I sent the launch with Mr.
Bowen and 5 men armed with 14 days' provisions and water down to the
westward giving him particular instructions how to act both with respect
to the harbour and natives should he fall in with any, the substance of
which was that in finding a channel into the Port he would take marks
proper for coming in with the vessel and immediately return to me and at
all times to deal friendly with the natives. It may now be proper to
observe that my intentio