Strait, after our little vessel which had thus first sailed through it.
Mr. Roe, in the afternoon, examined an opening in the land to the
eastward of our anchorage; but found it to be overrun with mangroves, and
entirely destitute of fresh water.

1818. March 1.

The next day we steered through the strait. Three openings were observed
on the eastern side, which appeared to be straits separating as many
islands; the northernmost was called Gidley Island. To the north of Lewis
Island is Malus Island, the north east end of which is formed by a high
bluff point, named Courtenay Head; whose summit, from its elevation and
position, appeared to offer so good an opportunity of obtaining a
bird's-eye view of a great part of the Archipelago, that the cutter was
anchored in a bay under its west side; and as soon as the vessel was
secured, we landed and climbed the Head, and were repaid for the trouble
by a very extensive view, and a useful set of bearings of the islands and
rocks in its vicinity.

Malus Island is of the same formation as Enderby Island, and is clothed
with the same kinds of plants. The ravines are deep, and the sides of the
hills are covered with the same stone, of which a pile was erected on the
summit of the head to mark the spot where the circumferentor was placed.
Some turtle tracks were seen upon the beach; and when we returned to the
vessel Mr. Bedwell landed to watch for their coming on shore, but none
appeared, and since we found no eggs, it is probable that the young had
already taken to the water.

March 2.

The next morning we sailed, and attempted to steer round the western side
of Malus Island; but were prevented from passing between it and Rosemary
Island by the shoalness of the water. There is, however, every reason to
believe that in mid-channel the water is deep enough for any purpose; but
as our persisting would have answered no end, we steered across Mermaid's
Strait, and by sunset were abreast of Cape Bruguieres, so named by
Captain Baudin, round which the land trended to East by South, forming
the south side of a shoal strait, separating Gidley Island from Captain
Baudin's Legendre Island: the latter is a narrow, long, rocky island,
lying East-South-East and West-North-West, and is of a lower character
than the islands to the southward of it. We anchored under the North-West
end of this island.

March 3.

But the ground was so uneven and rocky that we considered ourselves
fortunate i