ning, when we weighed anchor.[115]

[Footnote 115: The reader is probably not a little wearied with Dr
Douglas's minute comparisons of Kerguelen's and Cook's accounts of the
lands in question, which indeed seem unworthy of so much concern. It was
of consequence, however, to guard our navigator's reputation; and some
persons may relish the discussion, as exhibiting the acumen and good
sense which the detector of the infamous Lauder, and the author of "The
Criterion," so eminently possessed.--E.]

SECTION V.

_Departure from Christmas Harbour.--Range along the Coast, to discover
its Position and Extent.--Several Promontories and Bays, and a
Peninsula, described and named.--Danger from Shoals.--Another Harbour
and a Sound.--Mr Anderson's Observations on the Natural Productions,
Animals, Soil, &c. of. Kerguelen's Land_.

As soon as the ships were out of Christmas Harbour, we steered S.E. 1/2
S., along the coast, with a fine breeze at N.N.W., and clear weather.
This we thought the more fortunate, as, for some time past, fogs had
prevailed, more or less, every day; and the continuance of them would
have defeated our plan of extending Kerguelen's discovery. We kept the
lead constantly going; but seldom struck ground with a line of fifty or
sixty fathoms.

About seven or eight o'clock, we were off a promontory, which I called
Cape Cumberland. It lies a league and a half from the south point of
Christmas Harbour, in the direction of S.E. 1/2 S. Between them is a bay
with two arms, both of which seemed to afford good shelter for shipping.
Off Cape Cumberland is a small but pretty high island, on the summit of
which is a rock like a sentry-box, which occasioned our giving that name
to the island. Two miles farther to the eastward, lies a group of small
islands and rocks, with broken ground about them: We sailed between
these and Sentry-Box Island, the channel being a full mile broad, and
more than forty fathoms deep; for we found no bottom with that length of
line.

Being through this channel, we discovered, on the south side of Cape
Cumberland, a bay, running in three leagues to the westward. It is
formed by this Cape to the north, and by a promontory to the south,
which I named Point Pringle, after my good friend Sir John Pringle,
President of the Royal Society. The bottom of this bay was called
Cumberland Bay; and it seemed to be disjoined from the sea, which washes
the N.W. coast of this country, by a narrow neck of