st by West,
distant 4 Miles, and the Northermost land set at Noon, which form'd a
Point, I named Point Lookout, bore West, distant 5 or 6 Miles (Latitude
27 degrees 6 minutes).* (* There is some mistake in this latitude. It
should be 27 degrees 26 minutes.) On the North side of this point the
shore forms a wide open bay, which I have named Morton's Bay,* (* James,
Earl of Morton, was President of the Royal Society in 1764, and one of
the Commissioners of Longitude.) in the Bottom of which the land is so
low that I could but just see it from the Topmast head. The breakers I
have just mentioned lies about 3 or 4 Miles from Point Lookout; at this
time we had a great Sea from the Southward, which broke prodigious high
upon them. Stood on North-North-East until 8, when, being past the
breakers, and having Deepned our water to 52 fathoms, we brought too
until 12 o'Clock, then made sail to the North-North-East. At 4 A.M. we
sounded, and had 135 fathoms. At daylight I found that we had in the
night got much farther to the Northward and from the Shore than I
expected from the Course we steer'd, for we were at least 6 or 7 Leagues
off, and therefore hauled in North-West by West, having the Advantage of
a Fresh Gale at South-South-West. The Northermost land seen last night
bore from us at this time South-South-West, distant 6 Leagues. This land
I named Cape Morton, it being the North point of the Bay of the same Name
(Latitude 26 degrees 56 minutes South, Longitude 206 degrees 28 minutes).
From Cape Morton the Land Trends away West, further than we could see,
for there is a small space where we could see no land; some on board
where of opinion that there is a River there because the Sea looked paler
than usual. Upon sounding we found 34 fathoms fine white sandy bottom,
which alone is Sufficient change, the apparent Colour of Sea Water,
without the Assistance of Rivers. The land need only to be low here, as
it is in a Thousand other places upon the Coast, to have made it
impossible for us to have seen it at the distance we were off. Be this as
it may, it was a point that could not be clear'd up as we had the wind;
but should any one be desirous of doing it that may come after me, this
place may always be found by 3 Hills which lay to the Northward of it in
the Latitude of 26 degrees 53 minutes South. These hills lay but a little
way inland, and not far from Each other; they are very remarkable on
account of their Singular form of Eli