trance of Broken-Bay lies in latitude 33 deg. 34' south,
and longitude 151 deg. 27' east; the bay is large and clear; the
distance from north to south head, is two miles, and the depth is
eight, ten, and twelve fathoms; but as you run up the bay it
shoals to six, seven, and five fathoms. Just within the north
head of the bay is the entrance of the northern branch, which,
from the shoalness of the water, is only navigable for boats, or
small vessels; the channel going in is very narrow, occasioned by
a long spit of sand, which extends from a low sandy point on the
west side of the entrance, and on which, when the wind is from
the eastward, the sea breaks very high.

A little within the south head of the bay is the entrance of
the Southern Branch or Pitt-Water; this is a good harbour, though
the entrance is rendered rather narrow by a shoal bank, which
extends from the eastern point full two-thirds across; keep the
west shore on board, which is pretty bold, and is a high, steep,
rocky point, and steer right up the branch; three fathoms is the
most you will have at low water, and that depth is only in the
narrows, which are of very short extent, for as you run up, you
very soon deepen to four, five, six, and eight fathoms; to the
shoal which narrows the entrance, it is very gradual soundings.
When you are above the second point on the west shore, you have
good depth of water and good room; you may run up in mid-channel
without fear; both shores are pretty bold to, except off the
points, from some of which it is shoal a small distance: in this
branch there are several coves, in which a ship might lighten and
careen; there is also fresh water in various parts of this
harbour, with wood in abundance, and fish may be caught in all
the sandy bays.

The entrance of this branch is divided from the south-west arm
by several rocky points; the land over them high and steep;
between which are some small sandy bays; and right off the mouth
of this arm is a very high rocky island, of but small extent; its
eastern end is very high and perpendicular; this island is a good
mark, for any part of the bay may be known, with certainty, by
the situation of it, which the chart will point out. If a
stranger were coming in here for shelter in a gale of wind, I
would recommend his pushing up the south-west arm, and steering
in for the island, which is now called Mount Elliot, from its
similarity to the north end of Gibraltar Rock.

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