o days by light baffling winds and
calms.

July 14.

During the night of the 14th, the wind was light from the westward, and
we stood off and on to the north of Cassini Island.

July 15.

At half-past one o'clock a.m., having sounded in thirty-three fathoms, we
shoaled suddenly to fourteen, when the vessel's head was put to the
southward, but the breeze was so very light, that she had hardly steerage
way: by the light of the moon a line of breakers was seen two miles off,
under our lee: we had now shoaled to nine fathoms on a rocky bottom, but
its great irregularity prevented our dropping the anchor until the last
minute, since it would have been to the certain loss of the only one we
had. In order, therefore, to save it, if possible, the boat was lowered,
and sent to sound between the vessel and the breakers. Finding we made no
progress off the reef by standing to the southward, we tacked; and, a
light breeze springing up from the westward, we drew off the bank on a
north-west course, and in the space of a mile and a half deepened the
water gradually to thirty fathoms.

July 16.

The next morning, at a quarter past eight o'clock, the breakers were
again seen; they were found to be 24 minutes 44 seconds West of Troughton
Island. The wind was too light to allow of our approaching, we therefore
tacked off to the westward, and soon lost sight of them; at noon we were
in latitude 13 degrees 26 minutes 26 seconds. The breakers from the
masthead, bearing south-east, distant eight or nine miles.

During the ensuing night, having a fresh breeze, we stood first to the
westward, and afterwards to the south-east.

July 17.

At seven o'clock the next morning no land was in sight, but breakers were
seen extending from South by West to South-West by South, about five
miles off; and two miles beyond them was another line of breakers,
bearing from South-South-West to South-West by West. As we steered
obliquely towards them, they were noticed to extend still farther to the
eastward, but apparently in detached patches; our soundings, as we stood
on, shoaled to fifteen fathoms; and we were shortly within half a mile of
an appearance of shoal-water, in thirteen fathoms on a rocky bottom. The
wind now began to lessen; and, for fear of being becalmed, I was anxious
to get an offing. By our observations, we found the breakers this morning
were connected with those passed yesterday, and are a part of Baudin's
Holothurie Banks. The