red the time
keepers to have gone correctly from March 4, when the last observations
in Port Lincoln had been made, up to this time; and that the lunar
observations taken in the interval might be reduced back to the head of
the port by their means, and used to fix its longitude without any
further correction.

Besides the bearings above given, there was a rocky islet four miles
distant in the S. 78 deg. W.; part of a ledge of low rocks which extended
towards the north end of Thistle's Island, and may possibly be connected
with the rock set from thence. This ledge is marked _dangerous_, in the
particular chart.

Having satisfactorily ascertained the going of the time keepers, we
tacked and stretched back for the coast on the east side of the gulph;
but did not get sight of it before dark. At six on the following morning
[SATURDAY 20 MARCH 1802],

Corny Point, dist. 5 or 6 leagues, bore N. 631/2 deg. E.
A cliffy head, distant 10 miles, S. 85 E.
Furthest extreme, a cliffy point, S. 21 E.
Wedge Island, eastern bluff, S. 49 W.
Thistle's Island, highest part, West.

An amplitude taken when the ship's head was south-by-east, gave variation
1 deg. 25' east, and azimuths at south-south-east, 1 deg. 10': the mean, reduced
to the meridian, is 2 deg. 13' east, or a few minutes more than had been
found on the west side of the gulph, and half a degree less than off
Point Pearce.

The tide appeared to set us along the shore to the southward, although,
from what was observed at Thistle's Island, it should have been the time
of flood. With its assistance, and the wind having become less
unfavourable, we were enabled to make a course for the furthest land.
This proved to be a cape, composed of three cliffy points, near the
northern part of which lay a cluster of black rocks. The southernmost
cliff bore at noon E. 41/2 deg. S. six or seven miles, and beyond it there was
no main coast visible; but three small islands, with several rocks and a
reef, were seen to lie as far as five miles to the southward, out from
the cape.

Although the continuation of the main coast was not to be distinguished
beyond the cape, yet there was land in sight at the distance of seven or
eight leagues, from about south to S. 181/2 deg. W. Whether this land were an
island or a part of the continent, and the wide opening to the eastward a
strait or a new inlet, was uncertain; b