Chapter XIII: Appendix: A. Section 2 (2)

At POINT MURDOCH, which has a peaked hill at its extremity, the hills again approach the coast; at Cape Bowen they project into the sea, and separate two bays, in each of which there is possibly a rivulet; that to the eastward of the cape trends in and forms a deep bight. On the western side of the hills of Cape Bowen there is a track of low land, separating them from another rocky range. The summit of the hill at Point Murdoch is in latitude 14 degrees 40 minutes, and longitude 144 degrees 46 minutes.

HOWICK'S GROUP consists of ten or eleven islands, of which Number 1, remarkable for a hillock at its south-east end, is in latitude 14 degrees 32 minutes 40 seconds, and longitude 144 degrees 55 minutes 20 seconds; it is nearly three miles long; the rest are all less than half a mile in extent, excepting the westernmost, Number 6, which is nearly a mile and a half in diameter.

The passage between 2 and 3 is safe, and has seven and eight fathoms: the north-west side of 3 is of rocky approach, but the opposite side of the strait is bold to; the anchorage is tolerably good. The Mermaid drove, but it was not considered to be caused by the nature of the bottom, which is of soft sand, and free from rocks.

The channel between 1 and 2 appeared to be very rocky, and shoal: between 1 and the reef r there is probably a clear channel of about a mile wide: the north-east end of 1 has a reef which extends off it for half a mile.

(*Footnote. Many shoals, partly dry, occupy the space to the northward and eastward of Howick's Group. Roe manuscript.)

All the islands are low and wooded, and surrounded by a coral reef of small extent.

4 has a small islet off its west end.

5, 8, and 9 did not appear to have any reefs projecting from them. 7 is probably two islands, with a reef extending for half a mile on its western side. 6 is of larger size than the generality of the low islands hereabout, Number 1 excepted: its centre is in latitude 14 degrees 28 minutes, and longitude 144 degrees 45 minutes. The position of Number 10 was not correctly ascertained.

The peak of CAPE BOWEN is in latitude 14 degrees 34 minutes, and longitude 144 degrees 35 minutes 40 seconds.

NOBLE ISLAND is a rock, having a sandy, or a coral beach at its north-west end; although small it is very conspicuous; and, when first seen from the southward, has the appearance of a rock with a double rounded top.

The REEFS s, t, and u are unconnected; the north end of s, lying six miles and a half due east from Point Barrow, was dry for a considerable extent; t, one mile to the north, was covered; but there is a dry sandy key on u, bearing from Point Barrow, North 32 degrees East, six miles: some rocks showed themselves above the water off its south end.

v and w may possibly be connected; the former was noticed to extend for three miles, and the latter for nearly ten miles; there was, however, a space of three miles between them, where a channel may possibly exist. The channels between t and u, and between v and w, appeared to be clear and deep.

The REEFS x, y, and Z, are probably parts of the barrier reefs, for the sea was breaking very heavily upon their outer edge; there were, however, considerable spaces where no breakers appeared, some of which, being three or four miles wide, may possibly be as many outlets to sea.

NINIAN BAY is a bight to the west of Point Barrow;* it is about three miles deep, and has a small opening at the bottom; in crossing it we had not more water than four fathoms, and within our course it appeared to be very shoal: there is doubtless a channel leading to the opening; but, to the name of harbour or port, it has not the slightest pretension: it was named Port Ninian by Lieutenant Jeffreys: off the north end of Point Barrow are two rocky islands.

(*Footnote. Off Point Barrow, the shoals lie from half to one mile nearer the shore, than they are laid down; and one mile and three quarters North 55 degrees East from the point are two small patches of coral, under water; they bear North-East and South-West from each other and are probably one tenth of a mile apart. Roe manuscript.)

Between Ninian Bay and Cape Melville the coast is high and rocky, but appeared to be fronted by a reef, which in some places extends for a mile and a half from the shore; in this interval there are two or three sandy beaches, but I doubt the practicability of landing upon them in a boat. The summit and sides of the hills that form the promontory, of which Cape Melville is the extreme, are of most remarkable appearance, being covered with heaps of rounded stones of very large size (volume 1.)

CAPE MELVILLE, sloping off into the sea to the north, terminates this remarkable promontory in latitude 14 degrees 9 minutes 30 seconds, and longitude 144 degrees 24 minutes 50 seconds: the coast trends round it to the South-South-West and South-West, and forms Bathurst Bay, which is nine miles and a half deep, and thirteen wide, the western side being formed by Flinders' Group. A reef extends for more than two miles off Cape Melville in a North West by North direction, on which some rounded stones, similar to those upon the land, are heaped up above the sea: there is also one of these heaps at the extremity of the reef, outside, and within a quarter of a mile of which we had fourteen fathoms water: there are two other similar heaps within the outer pile, and between them there are possibly clear passages, but they should not be attempted without great caution. It was remarked that the breeze always freshened on passing round this cape.

PIPON ISLANDS, two small islets, of which the easternmost is the largest, are in latitude 14 degrees 6 minutes 40 seconds, longitude 144 degrees 26 minutes 5 seconds; they are surrounded by a reef, lying two miles and a half from the cape; between them and the reef that extends from the cape, there is a safe and deep passage of more than a mile wide.

The south-east side of Bathurst Bay is shoal. At the bottom are two openings, with some projecting land between them, at the extremity of which there is a peak; these openings are doubtless rivulets of considerable size, and take their rise from the high land at the back of Cape Bowen.

FLINDERS' GROUP forms the west head of Bathurst Bay; they are high and rocky, and consist of four islands, two of which are three miles long. The peak of the largest island, in latitude 14 degrees 11 minutes 5 seconds, and longitude 144 degrees 12 minutes 5 seconds, is visible from a distance of twelve or thirteen leagues; and the higher parts of the islands may be seen generally at seven or eight leagues.

On the eastern side of the northernmost island there is a bay fronted by a coral reef, but it is too exposed to the prevailing winds to be safe. It is here that the Frederick (merchant ship) was wrecked in 1818.

CAPE FLINDERS, in latitude 14 degrees 8 minutes, longitude 144 degrees 10 minutes 20 seconds, is the north extremity of the island; it may be passed close to with twelve fathoms: the best anchorage is under the flat-topped hill, at a quarter of a mile from the shore, in ten fathoms mud. The variation is 5 degrees 20 minutes East. It is high water at full and change at a quarter past nine.

In the offing is a low wooded island of more than a mile in diameter.

CLACK'S ISLAND is a high rock, situated at the south-east end of reef b, in latitude 14 degrees 4 minutes 45 seconds, and longitude 144 degrees 11 minutes 45 seconds, and, being a bare black rock, with no apparent vegetation, is a conspicuous object: there is another rock on its north-east end. (See above.) The reef is of circular shape, and three miles in diameter.

The shoal marked a was not seen by us. H.M. sloop Satellite struck upon it in June, 1822, on her passage to India. The following marks for it were obligingly communicated to me by Captain M.J. Currie, of H.M. sloop Satellite, who sent a boat to examine it upon her second voyage the following year:

"In crossing the northern part of Bathurst Bay, and nearly in mid-channel, between Cape Flinders and the low wooded island, there is a small patch of sunken rocks, lying north and south, not more than a cable's length in extent, the least water being one fathom. The Satellite grounded on them in two fathoms, in June, 1822. I sent a boat to examine this shoal in making the same passage in August, 1823, and found it to be under the following bearings (by compass): namely, Cape Flinders, South-West by West 3/4 West; the high peak on the south-east part of Flinders' Group, South 1/4 West; the highest of Clack's Islands, North-West 1/2 West, and Cape Melville East 1/2 South. It is a dangerous shoal in running for Cape Flinders, but may be easily avoided by steering near the low wooded island, to the north-east of the cape, or by keeping the shore of Flinders' Group on board, which is perhaps preferable. The variation is 5 degrees 40 minutes East."*

(*Footnote. The shoal is in a line with, and half way between, the flat-topped hill on the north island of Flinders' Group, and the centre of the low wooded island, and is nearly joined to some shoal-water that extends for two miles from the latter island. Roe manuscript.)

PRINCESS CHARLOTTE'S BAY is an extensive bight in the coast, twenty-two miles deep, and thirty-one broad; its shores are low, and at the bottom in latitude 14 degrees 29 minutes there is a mangrove opening.

JANE'S TABLE LAND, in latitude 14 degrees 29 minutes 15 seconds and longitude 144 degrees 4 minutes 45 seconds, is a remarkable flat-topped hill at the bottom of the bay, rising abruptly from the surrounding low land: it is about five miles from the coast; its summit, by the angle it subtended, is about a mile in length. Excepting this hill, no other high land was seen at the bottom of the bay.

On the western side the land rises to a moderate height, and forms a bank of about ten miles in extent, but this was not visible for more than three or four leagues. To the north of this no part of the interior can be seen until in latitude 13 degrees 55 minutes, when the south end of a ridge of hills commences at about seven miles behind the beach, which it gradually approaches until it reaches the coast in 13 degrees 35 minutes, and is terminated by a round hill; the coast then extends with a low sandy beach for eleven miles to Cape Sidmouth.

c is a covered reef of coral, extending North-East by East and South-West by West for seventeen miles: its south-west end bears North 75 degrees West, twelve miles and a half, from Cape Flinders.

d, e, and f, are three coral banks, having dry sandy keys on each; they are of circular shape, and from a mile to a third of a mile in diameter: d is the largest, and bears nearly due-west from Cape Flinders, from which it is distant twelve miles and a half.

g and h are two coral reefs; but it was not ascertained whether they are connected to each other or not: they may also be joined to c, and indeed this supposition is very likely to be correct, for we found the water quite smooth, and little or no set of tide on passing them. On the southwest extremity of g, in latitude 14 degrees 1 minute 20 seconds, longitude 143 degrees 50 minutes, there is a dry sandy key, as there is also upon h, but on the latter there are also rocks, and the sand is dry for four or five miles along its north-west side: the south-west end of h is in latitude 13 degrees 59 minutes, longitude 143 degrees 49 minutes.

i is a circular coral reef, of a mile and a quarter in diameter, and has a dry sandy key at its north-west end; it is two miles North-North-West from the south-west end of h.

k is a small reef with a sandy key upon it, four miles to the east of Pelican Island.

PELICAN ISLAND is on the north-west side of a reef of more than a mile and a half long: it is very small, but remarkable for having two clumps of trees, which at a distance give it the appearance of being two small islets: it is low, and, like the other islands of its character, may be seen at ten miles from the deck: its latitude is 13 degrees 54 minutes 45 seconds, and longitude 143 degrees 46 minutes. (See volume 1.)

l is a long narrow coral reef, extending in a North-North-East direction: it is thirteen miles in extent, but generally not more than one-third of a mile wide: its greatest width is not more than a mile and a half: its south-west end is five miles and three-quarters north from Pelican Island.

m is an extensive coral reef, extending for fifteen miles in North East by North direction, parallel with l, from which it is separated by a channel of from one to two miles wide. At its south-west end, where there is an extensive dry sandy key, and some dry rocks, it is two miles wide: but towards its northern end it tapers away to the breadth of a quarter of a mile. The south trend of its south-west end lies seven miles North 44 degrees West from Pelican Island, and four miles from Island 2 of Claremont Isles.

n is another extensive reef, which may possibly be connected with m. At its westernmost end, about four miles North by East 1/2 East from the west end of m., is a dry sand of small extent.

It was considered probable that there was a safe passage between the reefs l and m. We steered so far as to see the termination of the latter, upon which the sea was breaking, which afforded a proof of its not being connected with the former, which also the dark colour of the water sufficiently indicated.

The Mermaid was nearly lost in attempting to cross the latter reef. (Volume 1.)

CLAREMONT ISLES consist of five small islets, numbered from 1 to 5; they are of coral formation, and are covered with small brushwood; they are from six to seven miles apart, excepting 4 and 5, which are separated by a channel only a mile and a half wide: off the east and south-east end of 5, a coral reef extends for a mile and a half to the eastward, having two dry rocks on its north-east end.

COLUMN 1: CLAREMONT ISLE. COLUMN 2: LATITUDE IN DEGREES, MINUTES, SECONDS. COLUMN 3: LONGITUDE IN DEGREES, MINUTES, SECONDS.

Number 1 : 13 56 20 : 143 40 30.

Number 2 : 13 51 30 : 143 37 30.

Number 3 : 13 46 45 : 143 33 20.

Number 4 : 13 40 00 : 143 36 20.

Reef o extends in an east and west direction for a mile and a half, and at a mile farther there is another reef, that may be connected to it; o has a dry sand near its western extremity, in latitude 13 degrees 34 minutes, and longitude 143 degrees 38 minutes 45 seconds.

Islet 6, in latitude 13 degrees 29 minutes, longitude 143 degrees 38 minutes 26 seconds, is a very small, low, woody islet, with a reef extending for three-quarters of a mile off its north and south ends.

A reef lies two miles and one-third North 72 1/2 degrees West from islet 6, and South 59 degrees East from the summit of Cape Sidmouth; this reef is not more than a quarter of a mile in extent, and has a rock in its centre, that is uncovered at half tide; it is a brown looking shoal, and therefore of dangerous approach.

Off ROUND HILL there is a sandbank covered by the sea; it lies about two miles from the shore, and about East-North-East from Round Hill summit.

q is a small, brown, rocky shoal, that is not visible until close to it; it bears South 60 degrees East, four miles from the extremity of Cape Sidmouth.

CAPE SIDMOUTH is rather an elevated point, having higher land behind it; and at about nine miles in the interior, to the West-North-West, there is a rounded summit: at the extremity of the cape there are two remarkable lumps on the land, in latitude 13 degrees 24 minutes 20 seconds, and longitude 143 degrees 30 minutes. The cape is fronted by several rocky shoals, and ought not to be approached within four miles.

r is a sandbank, on which we had two and a half fathoms; but from the nature of the other neighbouring reefs, s and t, it is perhaps rocky also, and may be connected with them. It lies four miles and a quarter North 32 degrees East from Cape Sidmouth, and West 1/2 North from islet 7.

6 1/2 and 7 are two bare sandy islets, situated at the north ends of reefs extending in a North-North-West direction; the reef off the islet 6 1/2 is four miles and a half in length, and that off 7 is two miles and a half long: 6 1/2 is in latitude 13 degrees 23 minutes 20 seconds, longitude 143 degrees 39 minutes 30 seconds; 7, in latitude 13 degrees 21 minutes 20 seconds, and longitude 143 degrees 36 minutes 10 seconds.

8 and 9 are two low, woody islets of about a mile and a quarter in diameter. Some shoal marks on the water were observed opposite these islands, but their existence was not ascertained. Both the islets are surrounded by coral reefs, of small extent.

NIGHT ISLAND, its north end in latitude 13 degrees 13 minutes 8 seconds, and longitude 143 degrees 28 minutes 40 seconds, is a low woody island, two miles long, but not more than half a mile wide; it is surrounded by a coral reef, that does not extend more than a quarter of a mile from its northern end. On the south side, and within it, the space seemed to be much occupied by reefs, but they were not distinctly made out, on account of the thickness of the weather. There was also the appearance of a covered shoal, bearing North 55 degrees East from the north end of the island, distant four miles.*

(*Footnote. Observed many shoals to the North-West of Night Island; one bore East-North-East, two miles and a half from its north point; we saw much shoal water to seaward. Roe manuscript.)

u and w are two reefs; the former, which was dry when we passed, lies six miles North 18 degrees West from the north end of Night Island; there is also a small rock detached from it, which is not visible until close to it.

v is a covered coral reef, of about a mile and a quarter in extent; its centre is in 13 degrees 1 minute latitude.

SHERRARD'S ISLETS are low and bushy, and surrounded by a rocky shoal extending for a mile to the South-East; the south-westernmost is in 12 degrees 58 minutes 10 seconds latitude, and 143 degrees 30 minutes 15 seconds longitude.

10 is a low wooded islet, in latitude 12 degrees 53 minutes 10 seconds, on a reef of small extent; abreast of it is a rocky islet, lying about a mile and a half south from CAPE DIRECTION; off its east end is a smaller rock.

The coast between Cape Sidmouth and Cape Direction is rather high, and the shore is formed by a sandy beach. Ten miles North-West from the former cape is an opening in the hills; the high land then continues to the northward to Cape Direction, which has a peak near its extremity, close off which are two small rocks, but the depth at a mile and a half off is thirteen fathoms. The peak is in latitude 12 degrees 51 minutes 55 seconds, and longitude 143 degrees 26 minutes 10 seconds.*

(*Footnote. Shoal water extends for about six miles round the north side of Cape Direction. Roe manuscript.)

x; the position of this reef was not precisely ascertained; it appeared to be about two miles to the North-North-West of the extremity of the cape.

y and z are two covered reefs, of not more than a mile in extent; they are separated from each other by a channel a mile wide; y is four miles and a half North 51 degrees East from Cape Direction.

a and b are also covered reefs; the former is a mile and a quarter in length; the latter extends for two miles in an east direction, and is a mile broad: a bears nearly east, nine miles, from a peaked hill on the shore, and is five miles to the south of Cape Weymouth.

LLOYD'S BAY was not examined; it appeared to have a considerable opening at its south-west end, where the land was very low; the hilly country to the south of Cape Direction also ceases, and there is a considerable space of low land between them and the south end of Cape Weymouth range.

CAPE WEYMOUTH is an elevated point, sloping off from a high summit; its extreme is in latitude 12 degrees 37 minutes 15 seconds, and longitude 143 degrees 20 minutes 35 seconds. RESTORATION ISLAND, off the cape, is high, and of conical shape; about a mile East-South-East from it is a small rocky islet. The coast then extends towards Bolt Head, and forms several sinuosities, one of which is WEYMOUTH BAY of Captain Cook; the shores of the bay were not well examined.*

(*Footnote. There is a dry sand four or five miles North-West from Cape Weymouth. Roe manuscript.)

FAIR CAPE, so named by Lieutenant Bligh, is a projection of high land, in latitude 12 degrees 25 minutes, longitude 143 degrees 11 minutes 15 seconds: it has a reef off it according to Lieutenant Jeffrey's account, but its situation does not appear to have been correctly ascertained: we did not see it.

BOLT HEAD is the north-west end of the high land at the south end of TEMPLE BAY. It is here that the high land terminates; the coast to the northward being very low and sandy; with the exception of CAPE GRENVILLE, which is the rocky projection that forms the north extremity of Temple Bay. A little to the south of the cape is INDIAN BAY of Lieutenant Bligh. The latitude of Cape Grenville's east trend is 11 degrees 57 minutes 30 seconds, its longitude 143 degrees 8 minutes.

c is a coral reef, with a dry sandy key at its northern end, in latitude 12 degrees 35 minutes 20 seconds, longitude 143 degrees 25 minutes 15 seconds; it is about two miles long.

d, a small oval-shaped reef in the channel between c and e: it is covered, and has perhaps twelve feet water over it.

e is an extensive coral reef, fourteen miles long, commencing in latitude 12 degrees 32 1/2 minutes, and extending to 12 degrees 24 minutes; and in longitude 143 degrees 16 minutes: it is entirely covered, except a few dry rocks at its north-west end: the south-eastern extremity of the reef is perhaps three or four miles wide, but its eastern termination was not clearly distinguished.

f is a small reef, about three miles South-West from QUOIN ISLAND, which is a small wedge-shaped rock: it is in the neighbourhood of this reef that the merchant ship, Morning Star, was lost. Quoin Island is in latitude 12 degrees 24 minutes, and longitude 143 degrees 23 minutes 50 seconds.

g is a coral reef, ten miles long, and from one to two broad; having a dry rock upon it (in latitude 12 degrees 18 minutes 20 seconds, and longitude 143 degrees 14 minutes 35 seconds) about three miles from its north end.

FORBES' ISLANDS are high and rocky, but appeared to be clothed with vegetation; the group occupies a space of about two miles. The summit of Forbes' Island is in latitude 12 degrees 16 minutes 35 seconds, and longitude 143 degrees 18 minutes 50 seconds.

h, a coral reef, with some dry rocks near its north end, is about one mile long, and separated from i by a narrow pass. The south end of h bears from the summit of Forbes' Island West 1/4 South seven miles.

i and k, coral reefs, lying North-West, having a very narrow channel between them; the former is covered, but the latter has a dry sandy key at its north-west end, in latitude 12 degrees 12 minutes 20 seconds, and longitude 143 degrees 10 minutes 5 seconds.

PIPER'S ISLETS are four low bushy islets upon two circular reefs, with a passage separating them of a quarter of a mile wide; the reefs have each two islets upon them, and a dry rocky key round their western edge: the centre of the narrowest part of the channel between them is twelve and a half fathoms deep, but abreast the south end of the south-easternmost shoal there is ten and a half fathoms.

l, a circular coral reef, a mile and a half in diameter, with a dry rock at its east end, in latitude 12 degrees 9 minutes 5 seconds, and longitude 143 degrees 11 minutes.

YOUNG ISLAND, a small islet on a coral reef of about half a mile in extent, in latitude 12 degrees 6 minutes 50 seconds, and longitude 143 degrees 7 minutes. (See volume 1.)

m, a coral reef, about two and a half miles long, having a dry rock at its north end; it bears South 40 degrees West, three miles from the summit of Haggerston's Island.

n, an extensive, irregular-shaped, coral reef, seven miles long, and from one to four broad; it is separated from o by a narrow tortuous channel, but not safe to pass through: both n and o are covered. There is a safe passage between these reefs and Haggerston's Island, of a mile and a half wide; but there is a small reef detached from the north-west end of n, which should be avoided, although there is probably sufficient depth of water over it for any ship: it was seen from the summit of the island, from whence another coral patch was observed at about one mile to the westward, of which we saw no signs.

p is a small reef, of about a mile and a quarter in extent; it was seen from the summit of Haggerston's Island, as was also another reef, seven miles South by East from it: the positions of these reefs are doubtful.

HAGGERSTON'S ISLAND is high and rocky; the summit is in latitude 12 degrees 1 minute 40 seconds, and longitude 143 degrees 12 minutes; it is situated at the South-South-West extremity of a coral reef, of nearly two miles in length; its northern side is furnished with some trees and a sandy beach. At the north end of the reef are two dry patches of sand and rocks. It is separated from the islands of Sir Everard Home's Group by a channel nearly three miles wide, quite free from danger; but in passing through it, the tide or current sets to the North-North-West, round the reef off Haggerston's Island. (See volume 1.)

SIR EVERARD HOME'S GROUP consists of six islands: the two south-westernmost are rocky, and one of them has two peaks upon it, which, from the southward, have the appearance of being upon the extremity of Cape Grenville: the south-easternmost has a hillock, or clump of trees, at its south-east extremity, in latitude 11 degrees 57 minutes 40 seconds, and longitude 143 degrees 11 minutes. The outer part of this group is bold to, and the islands may be approached, but the space within them appeared to be rocky: there is a passage between the group and Cape Grenville. The merchant ship Lady Elliot in passing through it, found overfalls with eighteen fathoms.

Round Cape Grenville is MARGARET BAY, fronted by SUNDAY ISLAND, elevated and rocky, but not so high as Haggerston's Island, with good anchorage under its lee.

q is a covered reef of about a mile in extent, in latitude 11 degrees 55 minutes, five or six miles to the East-North-East of Sir Everard Home's Group.

SIR CHARLES HARDY'S ISLANDS are high and rocky, and may be seen five or six leagues off; the summit is in latitude 11 degrees 53 minutes 20 seconds, and longitude 143 degrees 23 minutes 40 seconds.

r is a covered reef; and s, a reef, with a dry sandy key upon it.

COCKBURN ISLES are rocky, and may be seen four leagues off.*

(*Footnote. There is a dry sand bearing South-West by West 1/2 West, two miles and a half from the southernmost Cockburn Island, and there are many shoals of great extent to the northward of the group. Roe manuscript.)

t and u are two reefs that were seen at a distance, and appeared to be detached from each other.

BIRD ISLES (the Lagoon Islands of Lieutenant Bligh) consist of three low bushy islets encompassed by a reef: the islands are at the outer verge of the reef, and may be passed within a quarter of a mile; the north-east island is in latitude 11 degrees 44 minutes 15 seconds, and longitude 142 degrees 58 minutes 45 seconds.

McARTHUR'S ISLES consist of four low bushy islets, of which two are very small; they are encompassed by a reef of more than three miles long, and are separated from the Bird Isles by a channel three miles and a half wide.

HANNIBAL'S ISLES are three in number, low and covered with bushes, the easternmost is near the extremity of the reef encircling the whole, and is in latitude 11 degrees 34 minutes 15 seconds, and longitude 142 degrees 51 minutes 20 seconds.*

(*Footnote. There is a dry sand at one mile and three-quarters, and another at two miles and a half North-North-West from North Hannibal Island.)

v and w; these shoals are separated by a safe channel of a mile and a quarter wide; v is circular, and has a dry sand at its north-west edge, and a rocky key at its south-west end; the channel between it and Hannibal's Islands is two miles and a half wide: w is nearly four miles long, and is entirely covered; the course between them is west, but, by hauling close round the east end of v, a West by North 1/2 North course will carry a vessel a quarter of a mile to leeward of the west end of w; the north-west extreme of w is three miles and a quarter South 35 degrees West from Islet 1.

The islets 1 and 2 are contained in a triangular-shaped reef, of about a mile and three quarters in extent; they are covered with low trees. Islet 1 is in latitude 11 degrees 28 minutes 45 seconds. Number 3 is a sandy islet crowned with bushes at the north-west end of a coral reef of about a mile and a half in length. Between the two latter reefs there appeared to be a channel of a mile wide in the direction of about North-West. 4, 5, and 6, are sandy islets covered with bushes, on small detached reefs, with, apparently, a passage between each: 4 is in latitude 11 degrees 22 minutes 30 seconds. 7, a small bushy island,* is separated from CAIRNCROSS ISLAND by a channel two miles wide. The latter is a small woody island, situated at the north-west end of a coral reef, more than two miles long and one broad; the north-west point of the reef runs off with a sharp point for about a quarter of a mile from the islet. There is good anchorage under it, but the depth is fifteen fathoms, and the sea is rather heavy at times with the tide setting against the wind; the latitude of its centre is 11 degrees 33 minutes 30 seconds, and its longitude 142 degrees 50 minutes 35 seconds. (See volume 1 and above.)

(*Footnote. A rocky reef extends for two miles to the southward of islet 7. Roe manuscript.)

8, 9, and 10, are low, woody islets: 8 is five miles to the eastward of Cairncross Island; 9 and 10 are to the northward of 8.

11 is also low and woody, but its position was not clearly ascertained.

ORFORDNESS is a sandy projection of the coast under Pudding-pan Hill (of Bligh) the shape of which, being flat-topped, is very remarkable: the hill is in latitude 11 degrees 18 minutes 30 seconds, and longitude 142 degrees 43 minutes 35 seconds.

The country between Cape Grenville and Cape York is low and sandy, with but few sinuosities in its coast line: it is exposed to the trade wind, which often blows with great strength, from South-East and South-East by East.

ESCAPE RIVER, in 10 degrees 57 1/2 minutes, is an opening in the land of one mile in breadth, trending in for two or three miles, when it turns to the north, and is concealed from the view; the land on the north side of the entrance is probably an island, for an opening was observed in Newcastle Bay, trending to the south, which may communicate with the river. The entrance is defended by a bar, on which the Mermaid was nearly lost. (Volume 1.) The deepest channel may probably be near the south head, which is rocky. The banks on the south side are wooded, and present an inviting aspect.

NEWCASTLE BAY is nine miles in extent by six deep; its shores are low, and apparently of a sandy character; at the bottom there is a considerable opening bearing West 1/4 North eight miles and a half from Turtle Island.

Off the south head of the bay is TURTLE ISLAND, a small rocky islet on the east side of an extensive reef, in latitude 10 degrees 54 minutes, and longitude 142 degrees 38 minutes 40 seconds; it is separated by a channel three miles wide from reef x, which has a dry sand at its north end, in latitude 10 degrees 53 minutes, and longitude 142 degrees 42 minutes, it has also some dry rocks and a mangrove bush on the inner part of its south end.

Four miles to the north of x are two shoals y and Z, both of which are covered; y is two miles and a half long, and three miles and a quarter; neither of them appeared to be a mile in width; the north-west end of z, when in a line with Mount Adolphus, bears North 19 degrees West.

Off the north head of Newcastle Bay, which forms the south-east trend of the land of Cape York, is a group of high rocky islands, ALBANY ISLES; and immediately off the point is a reef, which extends for about a mile; half a mile without its edge, we had ten fathoms.

The islets 12, 13, and 15, were only seen at a distance.

THE BROTHERS, so called in Lieutenant Bligh's chart, are two high rocks upon a reef.

ALBANY ISLES contain six islands, of which one only is of large size; the easternmost has a small peak, and a reef extends for less than a quarter of a mile from it; the peak is in latitude 10 degrees 43 minutes 45 seconds, and longitude 142 degrees 35 minutes 5 seconds.

YORK ISLES is a group about seven miles from the mainland; the principal island, which is not more than two miles long, has a very conspicuous flat-topped hill upon it, MOUNT ADOLPHUS,* in latitude 10 degrees 38 minutes 20 seconds, and longitude 142 degrees 36 minutes 25 seconds. Off the south-east end of this island are two rocky islets, the southernmost of which is more than a mile distant; the northern group of the York Isles are laid down from Captain Flinders.

(*Footnote. There is a bay on the west side or Mount Adolphus, but it appeared shoal. Roe manuscript.)

CAPE YORK, the northernmost land of New South Wales, has a conical hill half a mile within its extremity, the situation of which is in 10 degrees 42 minutes 40 seconds South, and 142 degrees 28 minutes 50 seconds East of Greenwich. There is also an island close to the point with a conical hill upon it, which has perhaps been hitherto taken for the cape; from which it is separated by a shoal strait half a mile wide; the latitude of the summit is 10 degrees 41 minutes 35 seconds, and longitude 142 degrees 28 minutes 25 seconds. From this island a considerable shoal extends to the westward for six miles towards a peaked hill on the extremity of a point. In the centre of this shoal are some dry rocks.

At the distance of nearly five miles from the above island is the rocky islet a, in latitude 10 degrees 36 minutes 50 seconds, and longitude 142 degrees 27 minutes 45 seconds; it is of small size, and surrounded by deep water; and, being easily seen from the strait between Cape York and the York Isles, serves to direct the course.

POSSESSION ISLES consist of nine or ten islets, of which 2 and 7 only are of large size, and neither of these are two miles long; they are also higher than the others. Number 1 is a small conical hill; 2 is hummocky; 3, 4, and 6, are very small; 5 makes with a hollow in its centre, like the seat of a saddle. The passage between 2 and the small islets 3 and 4 is the best; there is six and seven fathoms water; but in passing this, it must be recollected that the tide sets towards the islands on the northern side.

ENDEAVOUR STRAIT is on the south side of Prince of Wales' Islands: a shoal extends from Cape Cornwall (latitude 10 degrees 45 minutes 45 seconds, longitude 142 degrees 8 minutes 35 seconds) to the westward, and is probably connected with a strip of sand that stretches from Wallis' Isles to Shoal Cape. We crossed it with the cape bearing about East, when the least depth was four fathoms; but on many parts there are not more than three fathoms. Variation 5 degrees 38 minutes West.

PRINCE OF WALES ISLANDS are much intersected by straits and openings, that are very little known; there was an appearance of a good port, a little to the South-West of HORNED HILL (latitude 10 degrees 36 minutes 35 seconds, longitude 142 degrees 15 minutes) which may probably communicate with Wolf's Bay; the strait to the south of Wednesday Island also offers a good port in the eastern entrance of some rocky islands and without them is the rock b, with some sunken dangers near it.

WEDNESDAY ISLAND; its north end, in latitude 10 degrees 30 minutes 10 seconds, and longitude 142 degrees 15 minutes, may be approached close, but a considerable shoal stretches off its western side, the greater part of which is dry.

Off HAMMOND'S ISLAND is a high, conspicuous rock, bearing West 3/4 South, and five miles and three-quarters from the north end of Wednesday Island. Captain Flinders passed through the strait separating Wednesday Island from Hammond's Islands, and had four, five, and six fathoms.

Abreast of the strait separating GOOD'S ISLAND from the latter is the reef c, on which are several dry rocks, but abreast of it, and one mile and one quarter from it, is the reef d,* which is generally covered; the latter bears South 75 degrees West three miles and a quarter from the rock off Hammond's Island, and about North 45 degrees West two and a quarter miles from the opening between Good and Hammond's Island; the marks for avoiding it are given in the sailing directions.

(*Footnote. d consists of three small detached patches, that extend farther off than is at first observed. There is also a narrow strip of rocks extending for a short distance off the north-east end of the reef off Hammond's Island. Roe manuscript.)

Abreast of Wednesday, Hammond, and Good's Islands, is the NORTH-WEST REEF, an extensive coral bank, many parts of which are dry; it is ten or eleven miles long; the channel between it and the islands is from one mile and three-quarters to two miles and a quarter wide.

BOOBY ISLAND (latitude of its centre 10 degrees 36 minutes, longitude 141 degrees 52 minutes 50 seconds) is a small rocky islet of scarcely a third of a mile in diameter; its south-west end has a shoal projecting from it for half a mile, but its other sides are bold to. In a North 70 degrees East direction from it, at the distance of two miles and three-quarters, is a sandbank with three fathoms; it was discovered by the ships Claudine and Mary, on their passage through Torres Strait, when it was named LARPENT'S BANK.*

(*Footnote. It is near the west end of a shoal of five miles in length, extending in an east and west direction, a few feet only below the surface of the water. Roe manuscript.)

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