h made of this river and presented to the governor, with the
favourable report of the land on its borders, induced His Excellency to
examine them himself shortly afterward; and was followed by establishing
there a new branch of the colony, under the name of _Bank's Town_.

1796.

A voyage to Norfolk Island interrupted our further proceedings, until
March 1796. Mr Bass and myself then went again in Tom Thumb, to explore a
large river, said to fall into the sea some miles to the south of Botany
Bay, and of which there was no indication in captain Cook's chart.

We sailed out of Port Jackson early in the morning of March 25, and stood
a little off to sea to be ready for the sea breeze. On coming in with the
land in the evening, instead of being near Cape Solander, we found
ourselves under the cliffs near Hat Hill, six or seven leagues to the
southward, whither the boat had been drifted by a strong current. Not
being able to land, and the sea breeze coming in early next morning from
the northward, we steered for two small islets, six or seven miles
further on, in order to get shelter; but being in want of water, and
seeing a place on the way where, though the boat could not land, a cask
might be obtained by swimming, the attempt was made, and Mr Bass went on
shore. Whilst getting off the cask, a surf arose further out than usual,
carried the boat before it to the beach, and left us there with our arms,
ammunition, clothes and provisions thoroughly drenched and partly
spoiled. The boat was emptied and launched again immediately; but it was
late in the afternoon before every thing was rafted off, and we proceeded
to the islets. It was not possible to land there; and we went on to two
larger isles lying near a projecting point of the main, which has four
hillocks upon it presenting the form of a double saddle, and proved to be
captain Cook's _Red Point_. The isles were inaccessible as the others;
and it being dark, we were constrained to pass a second night in Tom
Thumb, and dropped our stone anchor in 7 fathoms, under the lee of the
point.

The sea breeze, on the 27th, still opposed our return; and learning from
two Indians that no water could be procured at Red Point, we accepted
their offer of piloting us to a river which, they said, lay a few miles
further southward, and where not only fresh water was abundant, but also
fish and wild ducks. These men were natives of Botany Bay, whence it was
that we understood a little