Page:Physical Description of New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land.djvu/38

10 regarding the existence of Terra Australis; and with him also commenced that series of maritime surveys which, followed up by Flinders and King, give to Great Britain the most legitimate title to the sovereignty of New Holland and Van Diemen's Land. It was during his first voyage, in April 1770, that Cook, on leaving New Zealand, discovered, in the neighbourhood of Cape Howe, the eastern shore of New Holland. The place which he at first anchored at, the Botany Bay of our times, may be thus looked upon as the commencing point of his survey. From Botany Bay he proceeded to the northward. In the neighbourhood of Cape Tribulation, his ship struck on a coral reef; which accident threatened to be as fatal as the subsequent escape from its consequences appears wonderful. The vessel having been repaired at Endeavour river, resumed its voyage of discovery. Keeping along the shore, the expedition reached a point of land from which appeared an open sea to the westward, and passed through the strait between New Holland and New Guinea, the existence of which, although long ago discovered, had been partially kept a secret, and was considered by Cook himself as very doubtful. At Cape York, from whence the distinguished voyager directed his course to Java, terminated his cursory examination of that part of the east coast of New Holland which lies north of Botany Bay. Southward of that locality, nothing was known beyond what, in the second voyage of Captain Cook, Captain Furneaux, tracing the southern and a part of the eastern coast of Van Diemen's Land, reported, namely, " that there is no strait between New Holland and Van Diemen's Land, but a very deep bay!" To the south-west and west, several points of the coast had been seen at different periods by occasional and transient navigators. Of the partial contributions which thus accrued to hydrography, none are more