rge enough for our bowsprit.

1820. July 13.

And on the 13th of July, having had our damages repaired, we resumed our
voyage under more favourable omens, for we sailed with a fair wind and
fine weather.

July 17.

On the 17th July we were off Moreton Bay, and in the afternoon
communicated with a whaler which heaved in sight off the Cape (Moreton).
My object was to learn whether she had heard any tidings of a boat
belonging to the Echo whaler, which ship had been lately wrecked on the
Cato's bank: one of her boats, with part of her crew, arrived at Sydney a
few days before we sailed; but another boat, in which the master and the
remainder of her people embarked, had not been heard of; and I
entertained hopes that this vessel had picked them up, but, on the
master's coming on board, I found that he was quite ignorant of her loss.

It so happened that both ships belonged to the same owner, Messrs.
Bennetts of London; and we had the satisfaction of afterwards hearing
that the information we had thus afforded proved useful; for the vessel
subsequently succeeded in finding the boat, and preserving the lives of
the crew. After giving our visitor some information respecting the coast
and the reef off Cape Moreton, which he claimed as his discovery, but
which, much to his surprise, we showed him already laid down on Captain
Flinders' chart of 1801, he returned to his ship, and we resumed our
course to the northward.

July 18.

At nine o'clock the next evening, having passed Indian Head in the
morning, we rounded Breaksea Spit, and at midnight brought to the wind in
order to make Lady Elliot's Island.

July 19.

But, finding at daylight that a current had drifted us past it, we
steered on, and at ten o'clock discovered a group of low woody islets.
They were named Bunker's Isles. It has been since ascertained that they
abound with turtle and beche de mer, the latter of which, if not both,
will at some future time become of considerable importance to the
coasting trade of New South Wales.

July 20.

On the 20th we anchored on the south side of Port Bowen, in the entrance
of the inlet that extends to the southward within the projection of Cape
Clinton; but in doing this we were unfortunate enough to get aground, and
receive very serious damage. After passing the Cape and hauling round its
inner trend towards the sandy bay, we had to beat to windward to reach
the anchorage, and, in the act of tacking on the western si