South,
Longitude 212 degrees 32 minutes West); it lies West-North-West 14
Leagues from Cape Gloucester, and is of a height sufficient to be seen 12
Leagues; but it is not so much of a Promontory as it appears to be,
because on each side of it near the Sea is very low land, which is not to
be seen unless you are pretty well in with the Shore. Inland are some
Tolerable high hills or mountains, which, like the Cape, affords but a
very barren prospect. Having past this Cape, we continued standing to the
West-North-West as the land lay, under an easey Sail, having from 16 to
10 fathoms, until 2 o'Clock a.m., when we fell into 7 fathoms, upon which
we hauled our wind to the Northward, judging ourselves to be very near
the land; as so we found, for at daylight we were little more than 2
Leagues off. What deceived us was the Lowness of the land, which is but
very little higher than the Surface of the Sea, but in the Country were
some hills. At noon we were in 15 fathoms Water, and about 4 Leagues from
the land. Our Latitude by Observation was 19 degrees 12 minutes South;
Cape Upstart bore 38 degrees 30 minutes East, distant 12 Leagues. Course
and distance sail'd since Yesterday noon North 48 degrees 45 minutes, 53
Miles. At and before Noon some very large smokes were Seen rise up out of
the low land. At sun rise I found the Variation to be 5 degrees 35
minutes Easterly; at sun set last night the same Needle gave near 9
degrees. This being Close under Cape Upstart, I judged that it was owing
to Iron ore or other Magnetical Matter Lodged in the Earth.

[Off Cleveland Bay, Queensland.]

Wednesday, 6th. Light Airs at East-South-East, with which we Steer'd
West-North-West as the Land now lay; Depth of Water 12 and 14 fathoms. At
Noon we were by Observation in the Latitude of 19 degrees 1 minute South,
Longitude made from Cape Gloucester 1 degree 30 minutes West; Course and
distance saild since Yesterday noon West-North-West, 28 Miles. In this
situation we had the Mouth of a Bay all open extending from South 1/2
East to South-West 1/2 South, distance 2 Leagues. This bay, which I named
Cleveland Bay,* (* In Cleveland Bay is Townsville, the largest town in
Northern Queensland. Population 12,000.) appeared to be about 5 or 6
Miles in Extent every way. The East point I named Cape Cleveland, and the
West, Magnetical Head or Island, as it had much the appearance of an
Island; and the Compass did not traverse well when near it. They are bot