ground, the admiral determined to remain where he was, and to examine the
inlet. The result most amply repaid his labour, by opening to him the
most important discovery which had been made in this country from the
time of Tasman. Instead of an open bay, this inlet was found to be the
entrance into a fine navigable channel, running more than ten leagues to
the northward, and there communicating with the true Storm Bay. It
contains a series of good harbours, or is itself, rather, one continued
harbour, from beginning to end.

This new passage obtained the name of CANAL DE D'ENTRECASTEAUX; and,
after passing through it with his ships, the admiral steered across Storm
Bay, passing to the southward of the land which Furneaux and Cook had
taken for Maria's Islands. At the head of Storm Bay other openings were
seen; but the wind from the north and the pressure of time, did not allow
him to examine them at that period.

1793.

On Jan. 21, of the following year, admiral D'Entrecasteaux anchored again
in one of the ports on the west side of the entrance to his newly
discovered channel; and after completing the wood and water of his two
ships, _La Recherche_ and _L'Espérance_, pursued his former course up the
passage, sending boats to complete the surveys of the different harbours
on each side. A boat was also sent to explore the two openings in the
head of Storm Bay. The westernmost proved to be a river, up which the
boat ascended twenty miles to the northward; and so far it was navigable
for ships. It was not pursued further; so that the distance, to which
this _Rivière du Nord_ might penetrate into the country, was uncertain.
The eastern opening led northward into a wide, open bay; and this into
another large expanse of water to the eastward, but which was not