Page:A Voyage to Terra Australis Volume 1.djvu/197

East Coast, & V.D.'s Land.]

Dec. 11. Before five o'clock, we came in with the land a few miles from where it had been quitted in the evening. The wind was moderate at north-west, and we bore away along the shore, which was distant four miles, and much similar to that of the preceding day; but it had no scattered rocks lying in front. Behind some low cliffs, passed at seven o'clock, was perceived a small opening like a river, whose course seemed to run northward, between the front and back ridges of hills: a smoke, which arose from the inner side of the opening, was the first seen upon this west coast. I steered a short time for the entrance; but seeing rocks in it, and the wind coming more on shore, hauled off south, to increase our distance.

Two miles from the opening are the conic, and several low rocks, which were passed at the distance of one mile and a half. At ten, we kept two points more away, having gained an offing of seven miles; and at noon had, The two last appear to have been the smaller mountains seen by to the north-east, on his discovering this land Nov. 24, 1642; and I have therefore named the first Mount Heemskerk, and the latter Mount Zeehaan, after his two ships. The back ridge of woody hills does not terminate here; but it retreats further inland, and as far as could be perceived through the haze, rises in height to the southward. The extreme of the coast, which bore S.S.E., forms the southern point of a sandy, and rather deep bight, where I thought it probable there might be some small opening; but as the wind blew