At 2 P.M., as we were steering N.W. by N., saw a large shoal right ahead, extending 3 or 4 points on each bow, upon which we hauld up N.N.E. and N.E. by N., in order to get round to N. Point of it, which we reached by 4 o'clock, and then Edged away to the westward, and run between the N. end of this Shoal and another, which lays 2 miles to the Northward of it, having a Boat all the time ahead sounding. Our depth of Water was very irregular, from 22 to 8 fathoms. At ½ past 6 we Anchor'd in 13 fathoms; the Northermost of the Small Islands mentioned at Noon bore W. ½ S., distant 3 Miles. These Islands, which are known in the Chart by the name of Forbes's Isles,[1] lay about 5 Leagues from the Main, which here forms a moderate high point, which we called Bolt head, from which the Land trends more westerly, and is all low, sandy Land, but to the Southward it is high and hilly, even near the Sea. At 6 A.M. we got under sail, and directed our Course for an Island which lay but a little way from the Main, and bore from us at this time N. 40° W., distant 5 Leagues; but we were soon interrupted in our Course by meeting with Shoals, but by the help of 2 Boats ahead and a good lookout at the Mast head we got at last into a fair Channel, which lead us down to the Island, having a very large Shoal on our Starboard side and several smaller ones betwixt us and the Main land. In this Channel we had from 20 to 30 fathoms. Between 11 and 12 o'Clock we hauld round the N.E. side of the Island, leaving it between us and the Main from which it is distant 7 or 8 Miles. This Island is about a League in Circuit and of a moderate height, and is inhabited; to the N.W. of it are several small, low Islands and Keys, which lay not far from the Main, and to the Northward and Eastward lay several other Islands and Shoals, so that we were now incompassed on every side by one or the other, but so much does a great danger Swallow up lesser ones, that these once so much dreaded spots were now looked at with less concern. The Boats being out of their Stations, we brought too to wait for them. At Noon our Latitude by observation was 12° 0′ S., Longitude in 217° 25′ W.; depth of Water 14 fathoms; Course and distance sail'd, reduced to a strait line, since yesterday Noon is N. 29° W., 32 Miles. The Main land within the above Islands forms a point, which I call Cape Grenville[2] (Lat. 11° 58′, Long. 217° 38′); between this Cape and the Bolt head is a Bay, which I Named Temple Bay.[3] E. ½ N., 9 Leagues from Cape Grenville, lay some
- ↑ Admiral John Forbes was a Commissioner of Longitude in 1768, and had been a Lord of the Admiralty from 1756 to 1763.
- ↑ George Grenville was First Lord of the Admiralty for a few months in 1763, and afterwards Prime Minister for two years.
- ↑ Richard Earl Temple, brother of George Grenville, was First Lord of the Admiralty in 1756.
