We continued our course to the eastward, without meeting with any thing worthy of notice, till four o'clock in the morning of the 19th, when, in a sudden squall of wind, though the Discovery received no damage, our fore-top-mast went by the board, and carried the main-top-gallant-mast with it. This occasioned some delay, as it took up the whole day to clear the wreck, and fit another top-mast. The former was accomplished without losing any part of it, except a few fathoms of small rope. Not having a spare main-top-gallant-mast on board, the fore-top-gallant-mast was converted into one for our immediate use. The wind continued westerly, blew a fresh gale, and was attended with clear weather, so that scarcely a day passed without being able to get observations for fixing the longitude, and the variation of the compass. The latter decreased in such a manner, that in the latitude of 44° 18' S. longitude 132° 2' E., it was no more than 5° 34' 18" W.; and on the 22d, being then in the latitude of 43° 27' S. longitude 141° 50' E., it was 1° 24' 15" E. So that we had crossed the Line where the compass has no variation. On the 24th, at three o'clock in the morning, we discovered the coast of Van Diemen's Land, bearing N. 1/2 W. At four o'clock the S.W. cape bore N.N.W. 1/2 W., and the Mewstone N.E. by E. three leagues distant. There are several islands and high rocks lying scattered along this part of the coast, the southernmost of which is the Mewstone. It is a round elevated rock, five or six leagues distant from the S.W. cape, in the direction of S. 55° E. At noon, our latitude was 43° 47' S. longitude 147° E., and the situation of the lands round us as follows: An elevated round-topped hill bore N. 17° W.; the S.W. cape N. 74° W.; the Mewstone W. 1/2 N.; Swilly Isle, or Rock, S. 49° E.; and the S.E. of S. cape N. 40° E. distant near three leagues. The land between the S.W. and S. capes is broken and hilly, the coast winding, with points shooting out from it; but we were too far off to be able to judge whether the bays formed by these points were sheltered from the sea-winds. The bay which appeared to be the largest and deepest, lies to the westward of the peaked hill above mentioned. The variation of the compass here was 5° 15' E.