to be 8° 36′ E., and in the Morning 8° 20′; as we had but little wind we keept to the Northward all night, having from 23 to 27 fathoms fine sandy bottom, at the Distance of 2 or 3 Leagues from the Land. At Noon we were about 4 Miles from it, and by observation in the Lat. of 25° 4′, and in this situation had but 13 fathoms; the Northermost land in Sight bore N. 21° W., distant 8 Miles; our Course and distance saild since yesterday at Noon was N. 13° 15′ E., 31 Miles.
Sunday, 20th.—Winds Southerly, Gentle breezes. At 10 p.m. we passed, at the distance of 4 Miles, having 17 fathoms, a black bluff head or point of land, on which a number of the Natives were Assembled, which occasioned my naming it Indian Head; Lat. 25° 0′. N. by W., 4 Miles from this head, is another much like it. From this last the land Trends a little more to the Westward, and is low and Sandy next the Sea, for what may be behind it I know not; if land, it must be all low, for we could see no part of it from the Mast head. We saw people in other places besides the one I have mentioned; some Smokes in the day and fires in the Night. Having but little wind all Night, we keept on to the Northward, having from 17 to 34 fathoms, from 4 Miles to 4 Leagues from the Land, the Northermost part of which bore from us at daylight W.S.W., and seem'd to End in a point, from which we discoverd a Reef stretching out to the Northward as far as we could see, being, at this time, in 18 fathoms; for we had, before it was light, hauld our Wind to the Westward, and this course we continued until we had plainly discover'd breakers a long way upon our Lee Bow, which seem'd to Stretch quite home to the land. We then Edged away N.W. and N.N.W., along the E. side of the Shoal, from 2 to 1 Miles off, having regular, even Soundings, from 13 to 7 fathoms; fine sandy bottom. At Noon we were, by Observation, in the Lat. of 24° 26′ S., which was 13 Miles to the Northward of that given by the Log. The extream point of the Shoal we judged to bear about N.W. of us; and the point of land above-mentioned bore S. ½ W., distant 20 Miles. This point I have named Sandy Cape,[1] on account of 2 very large white Patches of Sand upon it. It is of a height Sufficient to be seen 12 Leagues in Clear weather (Lat. 24° 46′, Long. 206° 51′ W.); from it the Land trends away W.S.W. and S.W. as far as we could see.
Monday, 21st.—In the P.M. we keept along the E. side of the Shoal until 2, when, judging there was water for us over, I sent a Boat a Head to sound, and upon her making the Signal for more
- ↑ Sandy Cape is the northern point of Great Sandy Island. A long narrow channel separates the latter from the mainland, and opens at its northern end into Harvey Bay, a great sheet of water, 40 miles across. This channel is now much used by the coasting trade, as it avoids the long détour round Breaksea Spit, a most dangerous shoal.
