as there appear'd to be no safe passage between them and
the Main; at the same time we had a number of Islands without us
extending out to Sea as far as we could see; as we run in this direction
our depth of Water was 10, 8 and 9 fathoms.* (* The ship passed between
the Duke Islands and the maze of reefs and islands lying North-West of
Thirsty Sound.) At Noon the North-West point of Thirsty Sound, which I
have named Pier head, bore South 36 degrees East, distant 5 Leagues; the
East point of the other inlet, which Communicates with the former, as I
have before mentioned, bore South by West, distance 2 1/2 Leagues, the
Group of Islands above mentioned laying between us and the point. The
farthest part of the Main in sight, on the other side of the inlet, bore
North-West; our Latitude by Observation was 21 degrees 53 minutes South.

[June 1770.]

Friday, June 1st. At 1/2 an hour After Noon, upon the Boat we had ahead
sounding making the Signal for Shoal Water, we hauld our wind to the
North-East, having at that time 7 fathoms; the Next cast 5, and then 3,
upon which we let go an Anchor, and brought the Ship up. The North-West
point of Thirsty Sound, or Pier Head, bore South-East, distance 6
Leagues, being Midway between the Islands which lies off the East point
of the Western inlet and 3 Small Islands directly without them,* (* The
shoal is now known as Lake Shoal. The three Islands are the Bedwell
Islands.) it being now the first of the flood which we found to set
North-West by West 1/2 West. After having sounded about the Shoal, on
which we found not quite 3 fathoms, but without it deep water, we got
under Sail, and hauld round the 3 Islands just mentioned, and came to an
Anchor under the Lee of them in 15 fathoms, having at this time dark,
hazey, rainy weather, which continued until 7 o'Clock a.m., at which time
we got again under sail, and stood to the North-West with a fresh breeze
at South-South-East and fair weather, having the Main land in Sight and a
Number of Islands all round us, some of which lay out at Sea as far as we
could See. The Western Inlet before mentioned, known in the Chart by the
Name of Broad Sound, we had now all open. It is at least 9 or 10 Leagues
wide at the Entrance, with several Islands laying in and before, and I
believe Shoals also, for we had very irregular Soundings, from 10 to 5
and 4 fathoms. At Noon we were by Observation in the Latitude of 21
degrees 29 minutes South, and Longitude m