1791. A t the dawning of day on the 27th, we made all fail for the land, having
September. ^ gent[e g-je from the N.w. with a fmooth fea and pleafant weather. The
depth of water, as we proceeded, gradually decreafed to 24'fathoms, with
a bottom of coral, coarfe fand, and (hells: about nine we were well in
with the land, and bore away along the coaft, keeping within a league or
•two of the (bores; which by the compafs ftretched from n. 44 w . to
N. 8 1 e . and appeared nearly ftraight and compact, confiding of-deep
rocky cliffs to the wafer’s edge, interfperfed with, here and there, fome
final] open fandybays, and a few iflets and rocks, which extended near a
mile from the main. The wedernmod land now in fight, (being the
northernmod feen the preceding night) is remarkable for its high cliffs,
falling perpendicularly into the fea; and if it be detached, which is by
no means certain, is about a league in circuit. It forms a confpicuous
promontory, t o which I gave the name of C a p e C h a t h a m '; in honor
o f that noble earl, who prefided at the Board of Admiralty on our departure
from England. The land to the wedward takes a direction from cape
Chatham N. 59 w . and the land to the eadward s, 81 E.: This Cape,
by our obfervations is fituated in latitude 350 '3', and in 1160 35' 30" of
longitude.
The flux dill continued to affea the health of fome in both veffels ; and
although the patients were daily aflided with frefh provifions, and might
be confidered in a date of recovery, yet they remained in a very debilitated
and reduced condition. In the hope that a little recreation, from
change of fcene and what the foil o f this country might afford, would
prove falutary to their enfeebled conditutions, I determined to put into
the fird port we (hould be fo fortunate as to difcover ; and, that an eligible
fituation might not efcape our vigilance, we ranged the coad within three
or four miles of its (hores, which are o f moderate elevation, and may in
general be deemed deep and bold. The verdure on all the projecting
points is removed to a confiderable height on the rocks, whofe naked
bafes fufficiently prove how exceffively they are beaten by a turbulent
ocean. The country, immediately along the fea fide, confids of a range
of dreary hills, producing little herbage, of a browniffi green hue,
from a foil that feems principally compofed of white fand; through
which
which- protrude large maffes of white rock of various fizes and forms : ■ 1791-
x , . September.
thefe lingular protuberances on the lummits of many of the hills, ftrong- '— v— *
ly refembled the remains of lofty edifices in ruin. The interior country
afforded a more agreeable appearance, being pleafantly interfperfed
with hills and dales, and covered with lofty fored trees o f confiderable
magnitude, whicly our glaffes plainly didinguifhed ; though we could
nowhere perceive any fmoke or other indication of the country being
inhabited. Towards noon, the Chatham, made the fignal for having
difcovered a port to the northward; into which they were direfted
to lead; but finding it only a ffialloW bay, we foon bore away-along
the coad. Our obferved latitude was 35° 8', longitude 117° 6' 30". In
this fituation, the coad, by compafs, extended from N. 68 w. to s. 83 e.
the neared ffiore bearing n. 6 w . ahout a league didant; in the morning
the variation by our furveying compafs was obferved to be 6° 30'
wedwardly. The coad we paffed along in the afternoon differed little
from that noticed in the morning, but the inland country was not
fufficiently elevated to be feen beyond the hills near the fea fide:. At
fix in the evening, a fmall detached iflet bore, by compafsy st 87 e.
the eadernmod part of the main in fight N. 86 e. a projefting point
whence extends wedward a long range of white cliffs N. 76 E. the neared
ffiore ». 24 e . didant 5 miles ; and the wedernmod land in fight, .the fame
which formed the eadern extreme at noon, n.^j w ; The wind was
very gentle with alternate calms, and the weather, during the night,
was mild and pleafant. In the morning of the 28th, we found our pro- Wcdnet. 28.
grefs had been very flow along the coad, although our didance from the
ffiore had increafed, with foundings from 40 to 50 fathoms. We had
again an opportunity o f : obferving: the fun eclipfed; but were not fo
fortunate as to notice its commencement, or greated obfcuration; the
end was however obferved by Mr. Whidbey to be at 19143'■ 53", and by
myfelf 191 43' 46" apparent time ; this was afcertained by our fextant te-
lefcope, as recommended on a former occafion. I much regretted that
we had not gained a port on this coad, where, on ffiore, we might have
compared fuch obfervations with the refults- from better indruments,
which would have tended to edabliffi the utility of the procefs. The
latitude