ace ahead sounding; and here we found a good Channell,
wherein we had from 9 to 14 fathoms. At Noon the North end of Lizard
Island bore East-South-East, distant one Mile; Latitude observed 14
degrees 38 minutes South; depth of water 14 fathoms. We now took the
pinnace in tow, knowing that there were no dangers until we got out to
the Reefs.* (* From the 13th to the 19th the language used in Mr.
Corner's copy of the Journal is quite different from that of the
Admiralty and the Queen's, though the occurrences are the same. From
internal evidences, it appears that Mr. Corner's copy was at this period
the first written up, and that Cook amended the phrases in the other fair
copies.)

[Pass Outside Barrier Reef, Queensland.]

Tuesday, 14th. Winds at South-East, a steady gale. By 2 P.M. we got out
to the outermost reefs, and just fetched to Windward of one of the
openings I had discover'd from the Island; we tacked and Made a short
trip to the South-West, while the Master went in the pinnace to examine
the Channel, who soon made the signal for the Ship to follow, which we
accordingly did, and in a short time got safe out. This Channel* (* Now
known as Cook's Passage.) lies North-East 1/2 North, 3 Leagues from
Lizard Island; it is about one-third of a Mile broad, and 25 or 30
fathoms deep or more. The moment we were without the breakers we had no
ground with 100 fathoms of Line, and found a large Sea rowling in from
the South-East. By this I was well assured we were got with out all the
Shoals, which gave us no small joy, after having been intangled among
Islands and Shoals, more or less, ever since the 26th of May, in which
time we have sail'd above 360 Leagues by the Lead without ever having a
Leadsman out of the Chains, when the ship was under sail; a Circumstance
that perhaps never hapned to any ship before, and yet it was here
absolutely necessary. I should have been very happy to have had it in my
power to have keept in with the land, in order to have explor'd the Coast
to the Northern extremity of the Country, which I think we were not far
off, for I firmly believe this land doth not join to New Guinea. But this
I hope soon either to prove or disprove, and the reasons I have before
assign'd will, I presume, be thought sufficient for my leaving the Coast
at this time; not but what I intend to get in with it again as soon as I
can do it with safety. The passage or channel we now came out by, which I
have named, ----* (*