be connected with
it, occupies about eleven, and the shallow water of the west side one or
two miles. The soundings we had in stretching westward across the deep
channel were, from the shoal, 3, 5, 7, 10, 12, 12, 12, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 7,
6, 5 fathoms, at nearly equal distances asunder, and the last at six
miles from the western land.

After sounding across the channel we stood back, lying up south-east, and
reached within five miles of the eastern shore, where the anchor was
dropped in 41/2 fathoms; Barn Hill bearing N. 69 deg. E., and a cliffy
projection, named _Point Riley_ after the gentleman of that name in the
Admiralty, S. 14 deg. W., two or three leagues. This point was the furthest
visible part of the eastern shore; and so low and uniform had the coast
been from the head of the gulph, that this was the first mark I had found
upon it for the survey. The great eastern bank, which we had already
followed about sixty miles, seemed to terminate at Point Riley; and from
thence southward the gulph greatly enlarges its breadth. The situation of
the point is about 33 deg. 53' south and 137 deg. 30' E.

TUESDAY 16 MARCH 1802

We got under way at six in the morning, and the wind being from the
south-eastward made a good stretch along the coast until noon. A patch of
breakers then lay five miles to the south-east; but the land was ten
miles distant, and some white sandy cliffs, four or five leagues from
Point Riley, bore S. 52 deg. E. The intermediate coast, as also that which
extends several leagues to the north of the point, is low and sandy; but
at a few miles back it rises to a level land of moderate elevation, and
is not ill clothed with small trees. In the afternoon we had to beat
against a southern wind; and the coast in that part being too open for
anchorage, this was continued all night and the next morning [WEDNESDAY
17 MARCH 1802]; but with so little profit that the same land was still in
sight at noon, and our situation found to be as follows

Latitude, observed to the north and south, 34 deg. 15' 24"
Longitude by time keepers, 137 241/2
North extreme near the sandy cliffs, dist. 6 miles, N. 19 E.
Low red cliffs, south end dist. 6 or 7 miles, S. 54 E.

At six in the evening, the reddish cliffs were brought to bear N. 44 deg. E.,
and a long point, or an island lying off a point, bore S. 43 deg. W. two
leagues. Our distance from a cliffy islet, close under the shor