Flinders
and Bass
1798.
back into North Bay, and come to an anchor under the north-east end of Sloping Island.
The great eastern bay now quitted had never been entered till this time; and as it is proved not to be Frederik Hendrik's, I have named it Norfolk Bay. It is about eight miles long, north and south, and three to five miles broad from east to west. The largest fleet may find shelter here, with anchorage on a good bottom of 4 to 9 fathoms deep. We saw but one small stream of fresh water, and that was of difficult access; but it is scarcely probable that, amongst the many coves all around the bay, water convenient for ships should not be found. The country near the shore is rocky; but as the kanguroo seemed to be abundant, there are probably many grassy plains further inland. Wood abounds every where, except at Green Head, which is mostly covered with grass. Of the four islands in the bay, Smooth and Gull Islands were found superior in fertility to the main land: the first contains about forty acres of tolerable pasturage.
In North Bay, the upper part seemed to be circumscribed by a sandy beach, and to offer nothing of particular interest; we therefore steered downward, on Dec. 20, for the Derwent River; but rainy squalls coming on from the south, ran for a small beach on the western shore, and anchored off it in 2½ fathoms. A narrow inlet there, from which the tide issued with some strength, excited the hope of finding a short cut into the Derwent; but it proved, on examination, to terminate in a shoal lagoon. The country on its borders affords good pasturage, with some spots fit for cultivation; there is, also, fresh water on the north side, but only for domestic purposes. The lagoon is frequented by ducks, black shags, pelicans, and gannets.
Dec. 21, we proceeded round for the Derwent. On clearing North Bay, I went off in the boat to Betsey's Island, leaving Mr. Bass to conduct the sloop. This island is high, and accessible only