Mc. CLUER. 1791.

At the end of the year 1791, lieutenant JOHN Mc. CLUER of the Bombay
marine, in returning from the examination of the west side of New Guinea,
made the Land of _Arnhem_, in longitude 135¼°, east of Greenwich. He then
sailed westward, along the shore, to 129° 55'; when the coast was found
to take a southern direction. The point of turning is placed in 11° 15'
south latitude; and is, doubtless, the Cape Van Diemen of the old charts,
and the west extremity of the north coast of Terra Australis.

It does not appear that any other account has been given of this
navigation, than the chart published by Mr. Dalrymple, in 1792. According
to it, though lieutenant Mc. Cluer constantly had soundings, in from 7 to
40 fathoms; yet he was generally at such a distance from the land, that
it was not often seen; and, consequently, he was unable to identify the
particular points. No landing seems to have been effected upon the main;
but some service was rendered to navigation, by ascertaining the
positions of several small islands, shoals, and projecting parts of the
coast; and in conferring a certain degree of authenticity upon the
discoveries of the early Dutch navigators.

Lieutenant Mc. Cluer is the last person, who can strictly be said to have
added to our knowledge of the north coast of Terra Australis, previously
to the time in which the voyage of the Investigator was planned; but
several navigators had followed captain Cook through Torres' Strait, and
by considerably different routes: these it will be proper to notice; as
their discoveries are intimately connected with the present subject.

BLIGH. 1789.