At daybreak, the northermost
land bore from us W.S.W. and seemed to end in a point, from which we
discovered a reef running out to the northward as far as we could see.
We had hauled our wind to the westward before it was light, and
continued the course till we saw the breakers upon our lee-bow. We now
edged away N.W. and N.N.W. along the east side of the shoal, from two to
one mile distant, having regular soundings from thirteen to seven
fathom, with a fine sandy bottom. At noon, our latitude, by observation,
was 20 deg.26', which was thirteen miles to the northward of the log: We
judged the extreme point of the shoal to bear from us about N.W. and the
point from which it seemed to run out bore S. 3/4 W., distant twenty
miles. This point I named _Sandy Cape_, from two very large patches of
white sand which lay upon it. It is sufficiently high to be seen at the
distance of twelve leagues, in clear weather, and lies in latitude
24 deg.45', longitude 206 deg. 51': The land trends from it S.W. as far as can
be seen. We kept along the east side of the shoal till two in the
afternoon, when, judging that there was a sufficient depth of water upon
it to allow passage for the ship, I sent the boat a-head to sound, and
upon her making the signal for more than five fathom, we hauled our
wind, and stood over the tail of it in six fathom. At this time we were
in latitude 24 deg.22', and Sandy Cape bore S. 1/2 E., distant eight
leagues; but the direction of the shoal is nearest N.N.W. and S.S.E. It
is remarkable that when on board the ship we had six fathom, the boat,
which was scarcely a quarter of a mile to the southward, had little more
than five, and that immediately after six fathom we had thirteen, and
then twenty, as fast as the man could cast the lead: From these
circumstances, I conjectured that the west side of the shoal was steep.
This shoal I called the _Break Sea Spit_, because we had now smooth
water, and to the southward of it we had always a high sea from the S.E.
At six in the evening, the land of Sandy Cape extended from S. 17 E. to
S. 27 E., at the distance of eight leagues; our depth of water was
twenty-three fathom: With the same soundings we stood to the westward
all night. At seven in the morning, we saw, from the mast-head, the land
of Sandy Cape bearing S.E. 1/2 E., distant about thirteen leagues: At
nine, we discovered land to the westward, and soon after saw smoke in
several places. Our depth of water was no