. by S. and
N.W. by N., both slightly more to South and North. In the afternoon we
sent out our small boat to take soundings close inshore; on returning the
men reported that until they came to the reefs they had found no less
than 31/2 fathom good anchoring-ground. Off the point near which we lay at
anchor, a river ran landinward; we hoisted the white flag, and caused the
little boat to paddle close along the shore. We saw smoke, indeed, in
many parts of the inland, but no natives, houses or vessels. This land is
not high, chiefly level, thickly covered with trees, and with a sandy
beach at the seaside. We had taken no latitude at noon; the tide seems to
run from the N.W. here; in the night at the latter end of the first watch
we could take the latitude by the stars and found it to be 12 deg. 8' South.

On Sunday the 15th do. at daybreak the wind blew hard from the E.S.E.; it
was mainsail weather; we convened the Plenary Council and resolved with
the same further to explore this land to the north-west and to use all
possible diligence to get knowledge touching the island of Timor, as will
be found more amply set forth in this day's Resolution.

As we were weighing our anchor, a lanyard and a pulley got broken; we
shaped our course to N.W. by N. and N.N.W. Having sailed the space of
about 2 miles, we came to a point, between which point and another point,
a distance of about 4 miles, the land extends W.N.W. and E.S.E. with
hardly any curve, and with rocks and reefs along the shore. Off this
point the surf and the breakers ran very strongly, as if there were a
shoal there, seeing that the wind and the current were opposed to each
other. We therefore sailed along the coast at less than a mile's distance
from the same in 12, 11 and 10 fathom good anchoring-ground. In many
places we saw great clouds of smoke landinward, but no fruit-trees,
houses, vessels or natives; the land seems to be quite wild. Towards the
evening we cast anchor in 9 fathom good anchoring-ground at about half a
cannonshot's distance from the land; the aforesaid point was E. by N. of
us at upwards of half a mile's distance; during the night we had violent
squalls from the E.S.E. with a thick, foggy sky; landinward we observed a
number of fires.

On Monday the 16th do. in the early morning the wind blew from the E.S.E.
as before with sudden violent squalls. As we were weighing our anchor,
the lanyard-pulley broke, and shortly after our anchor-cable snap