[Page 12]
it impossible to Land on this side of it at least, it being steep & a surf running very heavy on it, therefore having no more time, as the ship was not in sight, & it being two in the afternoon, I judgd it prudent to get on board, as fast as possible which we effected by 4 o'clock. We had now a light breeze from the Eastward, the weather was intolerably close & sultry, the Mercury standing at 72° & 73°. Got in the Boats & made Sail to the Southward; at 7 the wind at East freshend into a strong gale & at 8 it blew a thunder storm, with much heavy forked lightning, but, it being from a weather shore, I kept close at the wind, in order to get to the southward of the Islands, laying off this Cape, when on a sudden the wind shifted due West, very dark, with heavy rain & lightning, which continued all the night. The wind abating at 12 at night. In the morning it was calm, with hot sultry weather, again at noon I had a good observation in Lat. 39° 30' S the South part of the Main or South Cape bearing NW to N distance 20 Miles & Long., 147° 18' from a good lunar observation taken on the 8th. All round the western side, & even this far South of the Cape there is 50 fathom 45 & 40 white sand & broken Shells.
[In margin]
Certainly no sound or opening exists here, as Mr. Biss [possibly Bass] coasted it close in shore in a whale Boat & landed. P.G.K.
I calld that space laying between Cape Liptrap & the South Cape, King George's Sound, & I have no doubt but there is a good Harbour in the Bite to the Northward Eastward of the South Cape on the Westward