n sterility.

At noon of the 17th we were in

Latitude observed, 37 deg. 471/2'
Longitude by time keepers, 140 161/2
Cape Buffon bore N. 26 W.
Reef of rocks, (nearest part dist. 21/2 miles) N. 51 deg. to S. 42 E.
Hills behind the coast, N. 38 to N. 79 E.
Sandy hummock on _West_* Cape Banks S. 44 E.

[* The addition of West is made to the name, to distinguish it from Cape
Banks on the East Coast, named by captain Cook. It is to be regretted,
that navigators often apply names in so careless a manner as to introduce
confusion into geography.]

In the afternoon the wind veered to the southward, and we tacked from the
shore, not being able to weather the Carpenters at the south end of the
reef. A long swell rolled in at this time, and seemed to announce a gale
from the southward, yet the wind died away in the night, and at daybreak
[SUNDAY 18 APRIL 1802] a light breeze sprung up at north-west, and
enabled us to close in with the land. We passed the Carpenters at the
distance of four miles; but at two in the afternoon the wind again died
away. A cliffy point, which proved to be the _Cape Northumberland_ of
captain Grant, was then in sight, as also were two inland mountains lying
to the north-east; the nearest is his _Mount Schanck_, of a flat,
table-like form; the further one, Mount Gambier, is peaked. The following
bearings were taken whilst lying becalmed.

West C. Banks, sandy hummock, dist. 2 leagues, N. 2 deg. W.
Mount Schanck, N. 70 E.
Cape Northumberland, dist. 3 or 4 leagues, S. 82 E.

The long swell from the southward still prevailed, and the barometer was
fast falling; but at seven in the evening a breeze sprung up once more
from the north-west, and after stretching a little off from the shore, we
laid to for the greater part of the night. At daylight [MONDAY 19 APRIL
1802] the wind was at north-north-west, and blew fresh, with squally
weather. We reached in for the land; and at eight,

C. Northumberland, dist. 6 or 7 miles, bore N. 32 deg. W.
Mount Schanck, N. 1 W.
Furthest extreme, obscured by haze, S. 66 E.

Close to Cape Northumberland are two pointed rocks resembling the back
fins of sharks; and on its eastern side were heavy breakers, extending
more than a mile from th