Lose sight of
the coast.
Group of five
islands.
Bearings.
Run among the
islands.
Bearings.
thing else that we had could induce them to part with
either.
In the evening we weighed and stood to the southward ;
next morning there was no land in sight.o o At noon we were
in longitude 124“ 47’ 52" east, and latitude 36° 44i' north,
no land in sight. We hauled in shore to the eastward, and
anchored in the night in deep water.
3rd of September.—Weighed at 3. 30 and stood in shore;
a t 7- 45 A. M. we were due south of the western of a group
of islands. Many sights were taken as we passed to settle
the place of this group: it lies between 125° 42l' east, and
125° 57i' east, and in latitude 36° 44' north. After passing
this group we stood to the south-east towards a vast cluster
of islands: at noon, when we were just entering the cluster,
the latitude was observed 36“ 18' 21” north, and longitude
126° 10' east. The south-west extreme of the islands bore
south 40“ west. There were eight islands near us between
south-east and south-west, and,a high bluif dark rock south
one-quarter east, four miles: and on the main land arvery
high hill, east 19° north. When we had got weM among
the islands it fell calm, and we anchored in eight and a half
fathoms. I t remained calm during the night.
4th of September .-^Weighed on a breeze springing up,
and stood in shore. Observed in 36° 13' north, longitude
126° 301 east ; at this, time the following bearings were:
taken.
A remarkable peak on the main land, east.
High mountain on the main land, east 381“ north.
White cliff on the east end of the fourth island to the
left of the wide entrance into the cluster, north.
APPENDIX. xm
Small round island, north 30° west.
Another, north 35° west.
Extremes of a large bluff island from north 38 west, to
north 321° west.
Rock, north 72° west.
Outer island, north 75° west.
Extremes of the outer cluster, from north 771 west, to
west 1 ° south.
Large island, from west 14° 30' south, to west 18° south.
These islands being within from ten to fifteen miles,
were laid down by estimated distances, but it was quite impossible
to assign places to the immense number of others
which stretched away to the south and south-east, as
far as the eye could reach. We stood in shore for the purpose
of discovering whether there was any place of shelter
in the main land, but in general it proved shallow and
unsafe. At length we discovered a bay which promised s-a'-B.y.
shelter, but on running into it, the depth was found not to
exceed three or four fathoms. This bay is open towards
the south, and"is formed by a curved tongue of land on the
north and west. The longitude of the south end of this
point is 1 2 6 ° 42' 2 2 " east, and latitude 36° T 38" north.
We remained here during the night, and the forenoon of
the 5 th. The natives came on board, but made great obi
t inhabitants. jections to our landing.
The tide rose and fell fifteen feet and a half; it was low tw«.
water at 8 ,P. M., and high water a t 2 . 30 A. M. This was
two and a half days before full moon.
The Alceste’s boats were sent to sound in the eastern
quarter, but they found shoal water every where.