During the southerly winds the air was very cold, and lowered the mercury to 47 and 49 degrees; but when the wind veered to the north it rose to 55 degrees, and gave us considerable relief.
On the 23rd soundings were struck off King's Island July 24.
And the next morning we entered Bass Strait by passing round the south end of the island.

Here George Speed, one of our seamen, breathed his last; his death was occasioned by an excessive indulgence in the vegetables and fruits obtained at Timor, and he had been sick ever since we left that place; first with dysentery, and then with an intestinal inflammation.
The weather was so bad when we passed through the south entrance to the Strait that we could make no very particular observation upon Reid's Rocks, but they appear to be correctly placed by Captain Flinders.
July 26.
We did not get through the Strait until the 26th.

In passing the Pyramid it was found to be placed five miles too much to the northward in Captain Flinders' chart.
The weather was now thick with heavy rain, and the wind blowing a gale from West-South-West.

I became very anxious to arrive at Port Jackson; for we had but five men who could keep watch.

The damp weather had attended us with little intermission since our passing Cape Leeuwin, and our people had been constantly wet with the continued breaking over of the sea: indeed the decks had only been twice dry, and that even for a few hours, since we left that meridian.
July 27.
On the 27th, by sunset, we were abreast of Cape Howe.
July 29.
And on the 29th, at noon, the lighthouse on the south head of the port was joyfully descried.