acquainted with my intended mode of proceeding; that, having passed Bass
Strait to King George the Third's Sound, I should there complete my water
and fuel: then, by steering up the West Coast, to commence my survey at
the North-West Cape, and examine the coast easterly until the westerly
monsoon should begin to decline; upon which I proposed to leave the land,
and proceed as far to the eastward as the remainder of the monsoon would
allow; when I might examine the coast back with the easterly monsoon as
long as my stock of water lasted; and lastly, if I could not get a supply
upon the coast, to go to Timor, by which time my provisions would,
probably, be so reduced as to oblige my returning to Port Jackson to
prepare for a second voyage.

December 22.

Having made our final arrangements, we left Port Jackson on the 22nd of
December, with a fresh northerly breeze, which continued until the
evening of the 24th, when we were abreast of Cape Howe. After this a
heavy gale of wind from South-West obliged us to run into Twofold Bay for
shelter, and to repair some trifling damage which we had already
sustained.

Twofold Bay was discovered by Mr. Bass in 1797; and, although it is for
the most part too open and exposed to easterly winds for large ships, yet
it has a cove on its northern side, in which small vessels find secure
anchorage and a convenient place for stopping at, if bound to the
southward; and hence its name of Snug Cove. It is completely land-locked,
and it also conveniently affords both wood and water, and is neither
difficult to enter nor to leave.

December 26.