1802.
December.
Tuesday 28.
was low, mostly sandy, and covered with wood behind the beaches; and except that some places on the shore were rocky, it altogether resembled the more eastern parts of the gulph. At dusk, the anchor was let go in 6 fathoms, mud and shells.
Wednes. 29. A small reef was seen in the morning, two miles to the north-east of the ship, and about seven from the coast. We passed half a mile to windward of it, with 3½ fathoms, and stretched off to sea until noon, with the usual north-western wind; the latitude was then 15° 7′, longitude 135° 40′, and we tacked towards the land, which was not in sight from the mast head. At six in the evening it was distant two leagues, and the extremes bore S. 26° E. to 74° W., the first being the same part which had been set at N. 36° W., the evening before. At seven, we tacked from the shore in fathoms, and on the water deepening to 4, anchored on coarse sandy ground. In working along the shore next day,Thurs. 30. we met with a shoal of sand and rocks, as far as three leagues off the land; the outer part, upon which we had less than 2½ fathoms at noon, lying in 15° 13′ south and 136° 16′ east. After getting clear of this danger, we stretched off until dusk; and then anchored in 9 fathoms, grey sand, some back hills being visible in the S.W. by W., but no part of the low shore.
Friday 31. We had the wind at W. by S. in the morning, and stood off until noon, nine or ten leagues from the coast; two small lumps of land were then seen, bearing S. 53° and 58° W., and at the mast head they were perceived to join, and apparently to form an island. On the wind veering to the south and eastward we steered for it, and before sunset got to an anchor in a small bay on its south side, in 4 fathoms; the extremes of the island bearing N. 81° E. one mile and a half, to S. 83° W. three miles. The main land was visible three or four leagues to the southward, and a projecting part of the back hills, which at first made like a head land, bore S. 3° W.
A similar error to that at the Capes Van Diemen and Vanderlin has been made here in the Dutch chart, this island being represented