as so level as to appear like a thick
fog on the horizon; but, as the sun rose, we were undeceived. At seven
miles from the shore we found no soundings with 80 fathoms; but at eight
o'clock, being three miles nearer, we had 35 fathoms, sand, coral, and
shells. The bottom then gradually shoaled to 22 fathoms; upon which we
steered along the outer edge of a line of breakers that fronted the
shore, and after rounding a projection of the reef, steered to the
East-North-East, towards the extreme of the land.

The coast is here tolerably elevated, and may be seen at the distance of
six or seven leagues; it is composed of a red-coloured, sandy-looking
rock, which is very scantily sprinkled with small shrubs, and appears to
be extremely arid and sterile. The shore is fronted with rocks that
extend for three or four miles into the sea; on the extremity of which
the surf breaks with a continued foam. To the north the land suddenly
terminates with rather a steep slope, but a low sandy plain extends to
the East-North-East for three miles further, the extremity of which is
the North-West Cape. The fall of the high-land was called Vlaming Head,
after the navigator who first discovered this part.

After obtaining the meridional observation, we rounded the Cape, and
steered between it and a patch of breakers which lie at the distance of a
mile and a half from the shore: we were no sooner under the lee of the
land, than the air, before of a pleasant and a moderate temperature,
became so heated as to produce a scorching sensation; and to raise the
mercury in the thermometer from 79 to 89 degrees. We were also assailed
by an incredible number of flies and other insects, among which was a
beautiful species of libellula. The sea swarmed with turtles, sea-snakes,
and fish of various sorts; and the dolphin was eminently conspicuous for
its speed, and the varied beauty of its colours.

From the Cape, the low sandy land trended to the South-South-East for a
mile and a half, and then with the same character to South-South-West 1/2
West, in which direction it was lost in distance; and in the north east,
was a low rocky island.

The wind fell after passing round the Cape, and was so light during the
afternoon that we made no progress, and were obliged to anchor at about
three or four miles to the eastward of the Cape. At nine o'clock the wind
freshened with the flood-tide, which raised a heavy swell in which the
cutter rode very uneasily.

Fe