ly stored with water for the common purposes of life; but deficient in
those large intersections of it which, in other more fortunate countries,
so much facilitate the operations of man, and lead commerce to the door
of even the most inland farmer.

Two rivers only, Port Dalrymple and the Derwent, are known to descend
from Van Diemen's land; and by Point St Vincent possibly there may be a
third. But two rivers, or even three, bear but a scanty proportion to the
bulk of the island.

On the 3rd of January they left the Derwent, and proceeded to the
northward, coasting the east side of Frederick Henry Bay, which was for
the most part high and steep to the sea. The figure of the shore, between
what is now called Cape Basaltes and Cape Pillar, exhibited one of those
great works of nature which seldom fall to excite surprise: it was all
basaltic. The cape is a vast high wedge, which projects into the sea,
surmounted by lofty single columns.

After passing Cape Pillar, some islands came in sight to the northward;
but they did not fetch them, owing to the wind hanging in that quarter.
On the following day, they reached within five or six miles of one of
them, which in its general appearance bore some resemblance to Furneaux's
Islands. This group must be either Maria's or Schouten's islands, or
both; but it was not determined to which they belonged.

On the 7th, having until that day had but indistinct views of the land,
they saw Cape Barren Island. They did not pass through the channel, or
passage, which divides Furneaux's islands, but discovered why Captain
Furneaux named the place the Bay of Shoals.

Early on the morning of the 8th they were among the islands lying off the
Patriarchs. They were three in number; the largest of which was high,
rocky, and barren, with a basis of granite, which, like that of
Preservation Island, laid scattered about in large detached blocks.
Mr. Bass landed upon the outermost, and found it well inhabited. The
various tribes had divided it into districts. One part was white with
gannets, breeding in nests of earth and dried grass. Petrels and penguins
had their underground habitations in those parts of the island which had
the most grass. The rocks of the shore, and blocks of granite, were
occupied by the pied offensive shag and common gull; geese, red-bills and
quails, lived in common, and the rest was appropriated to the seals, who
seemed to be the lords of the domain. Mr. Bass remarked with