point, deduced from twenty-two sets of distances (see
Table III of the Appendix to this volume) is 132 deg. 30'; but that given by
time keepers with accelerated rates and supplemental correction, as
explained at the end of Chap. VI, and in the Appendix, is preferred, and
is 132 deg. 27' east.

The _variation_ observed upon the binnacle, with the ship's head
east-south-east, was 3 deg. 11' west by the surveying compass; and in the
offing, with the head north-north-east, it was 1 deg. 41' west. These,
corrected, will be 0 deg. 19' and 0 deg. 30'; and therefore the variation allowed
upon the bearings on shore was 0 deg. 25' west.

The wind was at south-east-by-south at one in the afternoon, when the
anchor was weighed to beat out of the bay. At half past five we were
three miles from a cliffy head which had been taken for an island at the
anchorage, and set at N 77 deg. E. The shore forms a small bight on the east
side of this head, and then stretches south-south-eastward in a sandy
beach, with a ridge of barren land behind. At sunset we passed to
windward of Point Fowler, and stood off to sea for the night.

[SOUTH COAST. NUYTS' ARCHIPELAGO.]

SATURDAY 30 JANUARY 1802

Cape Nuyts bore north, two or three leagues, soon after daylight, and the
wind was then at east; but as the day advanced it veered to the
south-east, and permitted us to make a stretch toward the furthest land.
At five in the evening we tacked near some low, whitish cliffs, which had
been seen from the mast head when in Fowler's Bay; they were two or three
miles off, and the furthest land visible from the deck bore S. 63 deg. E. at
no great distance. The coast here is broken into sandy beaches and small,
cliffy points, and the same ridge of barren land runs behind it, but the
elevation is not great.

SUNDAY 31 JANUARY 1802

At three in the afternoon of the 31st we reached in again with the coast,
about four leagues beyond our situation on the preceding day. The depth
at two miles off shore was 7 fathoms on a coral bottom; the northern
extreme bore N. 58 deg. W., and a low point on the other side, named _Point
Bell_, S. 45 deg. E., seven miles. To seaward, a flat rock bore W. 3 deg. S., one
mile and a half; it is the largest of four which were called _Sinclair's
Rocks_, and lie scattered at the distance of two or three miles off the
coast. We stood off at this time; but so little could be gained upon the
south-east winds that when we came in next morn