nication with the
sea to the north, appears to be little more than half a mile. BYAM
MARTIN'S ISLAND is separated from a range of small islets, extending
North-North-East by a strait; and these last are divided from the
Champagny Isles by another strait, from twenty-eight to thirty fathoms
deep, through which the tide runs with great force. Off the north end of
Byam Martin's Island are several smaller islets and coral reefs; the
latter extend from it for more than six miles: the north-westernmost of
these islets is the land seen in 1801 by Captain Heywood, and was called
by him Vulcan Point: RED ISLAND, which he also saw, is eight miles to the
westward; it is in latitude 15 degrees 13 minutes 15 seconds, and
longitude 124 degrees 15 minutes 45 seconds: between it and Champagny
Isles the ebbing tide uncovered several extensive reefs. Ten miles North
26 degrees East from Red Island, and South 71 degrees West from
Freycinet's Island, is a dry sandbank surrounded by a reef.

DEGERANDO ISLAND, so called by the French, is the southernmost of the
CHAMPAGNY ISLES: considerable reefs extend off its south end, which are
dry at low water; its centre is in latitude 15 degrees 20 minutes 45
seconds, and longitude 124 degrees 13 minutes 15 seconds.

CAMDEN BAY is formed between Byam Martin's Island and Pratt's Islands,
and extends to the eastward to Roger's Strait; it is twelve miles deep
and eight wide. Here the tide rose and fell thirty-seven feet and a half,
the moon's age being nineteen days. High water took place thirteen
minutes after the moon's transit.

Between Camden Bay and Point Swan, a distance of ninety miles, the
mainland falls back, and forms a very considerable opening fronted by a
multitude of islands, islets, and reefs, into which, from our loss of
anchors; we were not able to penetrate. From Camden Bay the islands, for
the coast seemed too irregular to be the mainland, extend in a range in a
south direction for more than fifty-five miles, to where there appeared
to be a deep opening, or strait, from three to five miles wide. An
irregular line of coast then appeared to extend for seven leagues to the
North-West, and afterwards to the westward for five or six leagues. To
the westward of this, the land appeared to be less continuous, and to be
formed by a mass of islands separated by deep and narrow straits, through
some of which the tide was observed to rush with considerable strength,
foaming and curling in its st