GEORGE BASS 1771-1803 His Discoveries Romantic Life and Tragic Disappearance

A very nice copy. Illusts and maps.

George Bass (1771 – 1803) was born in England and became an apprentice surgeon while he was a teenager. At 18 he joined the British Royal Navy and in 1795 he sailed to New South Wales as the ship’s doctor on board HMS Reliance.

George Bass

Matthew Flinders (1774 -1814) was born in England and joined the British Royal Navy when he was 15. He was the Midshipman, or the master’s mate, on the HMS Reliance where he met George Bass.

Bass and Flinders shared an interest in exploring and after arriving in Sydney in 1795, they set out to explore the coast south of the settlement, sailing in a 2.5 metre long rowing boat called Tom Thumb. They explored Botany Bay and the Georges River. When they returned 9 days later their report to Governor Hunter led later to a settlement being made on the Georges River at Bankstown.

On a second voyage Bass and Flinders discovered and named Port Hacking and Lake Illawarra.

Because of voyages they had made separately, both Bass and Flinders were sure that a body of water separated Van Diemen’s Land (now called Tasmania) and the Australian mainland. In 1798 they sailed along the northern coast of Van Dieman’s Land. They rowed up the Tamar River to near where Launceston is today and later climbed to the top of Mount Wellington which overlooks Hobart. They proved that there was water between Australia and Van Dieman’s Land and it was named Bass Strait by Governor Hunter.