A Y O Y A G E T O
we found mere fea, which I attributed to om? receiving
lefsfhelter from the reèfs to the eaftward : it && probable
they, do not extend fen fair north.-as thi-S ; at leaft, it may be
concluded that there is not a continued barrier to prevent
fhipping haying ’àeeefs to the-fhore,1 *1. ebferved that-the
ftream fet to the N W, which Ï confidered to be the flood.
In feme places along the coaft, ■ we-' faw'patches Of -Wood.
At five o’cloekj fleering to the N W, we paffed a large and
fair inlet, into; which, 1 imagine, there is a fafe- arid commodious
entrance it lies in latitude q*°' S. I About three
leagues to the northward of this is an ifiandy at which wê
arrived about fun-fet, anê took Shelter fbr the-night undèr
a fandy point, which Was the only part we côüld land/ at.
This being rather a wild fituation, I thought it be'ftto lleep
in the boat : never thelefs I feet a party few-ay to fee |f?iany
thingeofild be ypÿ biit they ïetùined'Wrthout fiSeéefs. They
faw a great number of turtle bonds- and’ fhellsy.Where 'thé
natives had been feaftingy and thfeir Taft vMt f e ^ e d flto be
of late date. The ill and was covered with wobd, but in
othertefpdfls., it was a lump of rocks. -
3.' Wednefday the 3d. We lay at a grapnel till day-light,
with a very frefh gale and clOtKly Weatfeçÿi Thehfâte bfere
from&E by S f o N N W f W-, thrëe ^aghésij - afid a mOUhi-
tainous ifland, With ' a flat top* 'bf-by t -ur -or' five
leagues ; -between which and the main land were fédéral
Other rfiands. The. fpot we Were-at, which I call Tiiirtle
Iflaftd, fiés ift latitude, by Scêôtint, iô° and
W from Reftoratioft Ifland. Abreaft of it, thefeoaft'has
the appearance of a faddy defert, but improves about threé
Teagues -farther to the northward, where it terminates in
a point, near to which are many flmall iflandfs. I failed
hétween thefe iflands, where I found no bottom at twelve
fathoms ;
fathoms; the high Mountainous ifland with a flat top, and ^ *789^
four rdck^Jto the S B'O^iVthatS call the ©rothers, being on ,—
my ftarboatd hand. Sèon after, an extenfive. opening appeared
in the main land, in which were a number of high
iflands. I callêd this file ©ays of Iflands. We. continued
fteèfipg to 'the NW ; ' Sèverabiftands and keys were in fight
to, the northward: the moft northerly ifland was mountain-
öaS/haVMig’Otii* a veiy high: rouhd h ill; and a fmaller was
remarkable for a Angle peaked hill.
The coaift to the northward and weftward of the Bay of
broken appearance,
With many iflai^swtófetó it; among which there are fine
hay«i' and cehlê^ifeitt^placéè for flopping. The northem-
moft^f-thefe iflands I call Wednefday Ifland: to-the N W
of this we fell in with a large reef, which I believe joins a
number o f beys that were in fight from the N W to the
We therefore flood to the SW h alf a league, when
it was noon, and -I had. a good obfervation o f the latitude
id- io° 31'IB. Wednefday Ifland bore E by S five miles ; the
we-fternmoft -land in fight S -W # o or three leagues ; the
iflands to the northward, from JN W by W, to N E, and
the reef -from W- to N E, diftant one mile. I was now
tOleraMy cèrtain that we fhould. be dear o f New Holland in
theafterbobn. - | -■
I knoW not. how far this reef extends. It may he a continuation*
d‘r a detached part o f the range o f fhoals that
furround fife- coaft. I believe the mountainous iflands
to be feparate from the fhoals ;• and have no doubt that
near, the^n may be fotmd good paflages for fliips. But I
ratherrëoomrnend to thöfe Who are to pafs this ftrait ffom
the eaftward, to take their dire&ion from the coaft o f New
F f a - Guinea: