FLINDERS Al alaa ! now no more — an honaurable place in the list of those whose order stands most conspicuous for the pro- motion of useful knowledge." There seemed to '* want no other proof of the existence of a passage between New South Wales and Van Diemen'sLand than that of sailing positively through it." Governor Hunter deserves gratitude for entrusting to the gallant friends the task of positive proof," On 7th Oct. 1798, with Bass and a crew of eight volun- teers from King's ships, with Flinders, then twenty-four years old, sailed in the Nifr/olk sloop, twenty-five tons, with twelve weeks' provisions. Buffeted by adverse winds, the little band persevered. The Tamar was entered, and Port Dalr3nnple was named. A gale drove the Norlhlk back to Furneaux's group (2lBt Nov.) It was not till the 3rd Dee. that she could work to the westward again, and then the allotted time for the voyagers had nearly expired. Notbing daunted, on the 6th they discovered Circular Head. On the 9th a vast crowd of sooty petrels,'^ the birds of Providence at Norfolk Island, passed over the voyagers in a stream from fifty to eighty yards in depth and three hundred yards or more in breadth, **0n the lowest calculation" iFlinders thought the number *'not less than a hundred million." On that day, wliile passing between Van Diemen's Land and Three Hummock Island, **a long swell was perceived to come from the S.W. . . . Although it was likely to prove troublesome and perhaps dangerous, Mr, Bass and myself hailed it with joy and mutual congratulation, as announcing the completion of our lorig-wished-for discovery of a passage into the Southern Indian Ocean. Cape Grim was named on that day< The west coast was , traced, and on the 21st Dec. the sloop was anchored at the J mouth of the Derwent. On the 22ncl she was taken twelve miles up the river. On the Brd Jan. 1799, the brother heroes put to sea, and in eight days they were safe in Sydney. No unworthy jealousies marred their renown.
- T(i the straita ^FUnders wrote), ** which had been the great object of
research, and whose dtacovery was now completed, Ixov^ernur Hanter gave ^ Dr. Johu White hi EinaocoiiDtofhiH voyage to N. S.W. (17S8) deacribed the bird as Ftmetlaria fuligino$a*
