Letter received by Banks from Philip Gidley King, April, 21August 1801 (Series 39.064) - No. 0002

You are here

Transcription

[Page 2]

you to them - you know I arrived here in April & did not take the command till last September. In my former letters, I informed you of the Lady Nelson having passed through the  Straits, on her passage here from the Cape, & arrived last December: since then Two other small vessells have passed through from the Westward; & have made some further discoveries, all which I have had copied & send you the chart with my remarks, but I would not wish to have it published yet, until more perfect, for the reason I shall give you hereafter, & the remarks in the chart.

The discovery of these Straits is most certainly a great acquisition, to this Colony, inasmuch as they are as safe as commodious, in first of a good Harbour being found in Western Port. Still, I do not think that this passage, to the Westward, can be attempted with any prospect of succeeding, in the Winter months i.e. from May to September - but from September, During the Summer months, I think there is a great probability of vessells making a short voyage to the Cape of Good Hope, or India, when they have a chance of Easterly Winds to get through, after which they are likely to meet with Northerly Winds; as I do not hazard this latter Idea, without proof; I must here mention that by the Master of the [indecipherable] Is Sea Whaler, who [indecipherable] from Nov. to March, on the SW Coast, I am

This page has its status set to Completed and is no longer transcribable.