ad so far
prudently kept. To seaward begins the long chain of islands and reefs
known as the Great Australian Barrier, which stretches up to Torres
Straits. Cook was unaware of their existence, as they were out of sight,
but he became painfully acquainted with them later, where the reefs
approach the land, and make navigation along the coast anxious work; but
he here began to get into difficulties with the shoals which stretch off
the coast itself.)

Saturday, 26th. In the P.M. light breezes at East-South-East, with which
we stood to the North-West until 4 o'Clock, when it fell calm, and soon
after we Anchored in 12 fathoms. Cape Capricorn bearing South 54 degrees
East, distant 4 Leagues, having the Main land and Islands in a manner all
around us. In the night we found the tide to rise and fall near 7 feet,
and the flood to set to the Westward and Ebb to the Eastward; which is
quite the reverse to what we found it when at Anchor to the Eastward of
Bustard Bay. At 6 a.m. we weigh'd with the Wind at South, a Gentle
breeze, and stood away to the North-West, between the Outermost range of
Islands* (* The Keppel Islands.) and the Main land, leaving several small
Islands between us and the Latter, which we passed Close by. Our
soundings was a little irregular, from 12 to 4 fathoms, which caused me
to send a Boat ahead to sound. At noon we were about 3 Miles from the
Main, about the same distance from the Islands without us; our Latitude
by Observation was 23 degrees 7 minutes South, and Longitude made from
Cape Capricorn 18 Miles West. The Main land in this Latitude is tolerable
high and Mountainious; and the Islands which lay off it are the most of
them pretty high and of a Small Circuit, and have more the appearance of
barrenness than fertility. We saw smookes a good way in land, which makes
me think there must be a River, Lagoon, or Inlet, into the Country, and
we passed 2 places that had the Appearance of such this morning; but our
Depth of Water at that Time was too little to haul in for them, where I
might expect to meet with less.

Sunday, 27th. We had not stood on to the Northward quite an hour before
we fell into 3 fathoms, upon which I anchor'd, and Sent away the Master
with 2 Boats to sound the Channell, which lay to Leeward of us between
the Northermost Island and the Main Land, which appear'd to me to be
pretty broad; but I suspected that it was Shoal, and so it was found, for
the Master reported to me upon his