Flinders
1799.
(Atl. Pl. X.)August 2 at noon, the eastern extremity of Sandy Cape bore N. 51° W., six miles, and its latitude was found to be 24° 42′, being three minutes north of its situation by captain Cook. In running northward, within two or three miles of the edge of Break-sea Spit, we had 12 fathoms; and at five o'clock, passed over the end of the spit in 3½; Sandy Cape then bearing S. 9° E. six leagues. The water deepened almost immediately to more than 17 fathoms; and in keeping close to a south-east wind, up Hervey's Bay, the depth was from 20 to 14, during the night.
On the 3rd, the wind veered to S.S.W.; and at noon the anchor was dropped in 17 fathoms, with the extreme of Sandy Cape bearing N. 66° E. seven or eight miles. The observed latitude was 24° 45⅓′, and a tide of one mile per hour came from the southward, A fair wind sprung up in the afternoon, and we ran five leagues by log in a S. by W. direction, anchoring at dusk in 11 fathoms, sandy bottom.
Aug. 4 was employed in beating up along the eastern shore, against a south-west wind. At three leagues above the anchorage, our progress was stopped by a mass of shoals which seemed to preclude all further access towards the head of the bay on that side. In the night, we stretched north-westward, to get round them; and in the evening of the 5th, anchored in 5 fathoms, three or four miles from the western shore.
Aug. 6. The wind being off the land, we followed the line of the coast upwards, as close as the shoals would allow; and before noon entered an opening formed by the western shore on one side, and an island of moderate height, three or four miles long, on the other. The opening was not more than two miles wide, and was still further contracted by a low islet in the middle, surrounded with shallow banks. There was a large expanse of water above; but we had not advanced two miles before shoal water obliged us to tack; and after having tried for a channel in every direction, without success, I anchored in 3 fathoms, half a mile north-west from the low islet, and landed.
