Bampton
and Alt.
1793.
also seen, and bore N.W. ½ W. The ships got ground in 60 fathoms, and hauled the wind to the eastward, till midnight; when, having no bottom at 70 fathoms, they lay to, till morning.
June 21. The Hormuzeer's long boat was sent a-head; and, at ten o'clock, the ships bore away northward. At noon, the latitude was 9° 30′. The course was altered, at three, to the north-west; and at dusk, they hove to, for the night: soundings from 70 to 56 fathoms. The same course being resumed on the sand, the latitude, at noon, was 8° 48′; and the depth 30 fathoms, on a bottom of sand, mud, and shells. From noon to five p. m., when they anchored, the ships appear to have steered W. by S. The land had been seen at one o'clock; and at two, the water had shoaled suddenly, from 30 to 10 fathoms, and afterwards diminished to 5, which continued to the place of anchorage. The land was part of the coast of New Guinea; and the extremes were set at W. by N. ½ N. and N.W. ½ N., six or seven leagues, (in the chart, miles.) The flood tide here, set two miles per hour, towards the land; and the rise, by the lead line, was nine feet.
June 23. The ships got under way with the weather, or ebb, tide, a little before noon: latitude 8° 52′. At four o'clock, the wind blew strong at south-east, with thick weather; and they anchored in 9 fathoms, blue-mud; having made a course of E.N.E. nearly parallel to the coast. They remained here till the next afternoon; when the Hormuzeer having parted her cable, both ships stood to the north-eastward, along the land, until midnight; at which time they wore to the south-west, in 30 fathoms. At daylight of the 25th, the depth had decreased to 16 fathoms; and they stretched north-eastward again, with little variation in the soundings. The latitude, at noon, was 8° 10′; and the ships continued their course upon a wind, keeping as much to the east as possible; and the soundings having increased to 30 fathoms, at dusk, they hove to; but stretched off, at midnight, on coming into 10 fathoms. In the morning of June 26, they were standing to the eastward; but the