OVEMBER 1802

Next morning at sunrise, we steered up the opening with a land wind at S.
S. E.; and until ten o'clock, when we had reached the furthest part of
the western land seen from Inspection Hill, the soundings were between 6
and 3 fathoms, reduced to low water. This land proved to be an island of
ten or eleven miles long, and I have given it the name of Bentinck, in
honour of the Right Hon. LORD WILLIAM BENTINCK; of whose obliging
attention, when governor of Madras, I shall hereafter have to speak in
praise. To the north-west of Bentinck's Island, several small isles came
in sight; but a northern sea breeze having set in, we kept on our western
course for the low main land, which trended here north-westward. At one
o'clock the diminution of depth to 21/2 fathoms, obliged us to tack; the
main being four miles distant, and the eastern extreme of the nearest
island bearing N. 3 deg. W., two leagues: this was named _Allen's Isle_,
after the practical miner of the expedition. In working to windward, the
water was found to be shallow in almost every direction; and the deepest
being at three or four miles from the south-west point of Bentinck's
Island, the anchor was there dropped in 41/2 fathoms, muddy bottom.

SATURDAY 20 NOVEMBER 1802

In the morning we steered towards Allen's Isle, with the whale boat
ahead; and anchored one mile and a half from its south-east end, in 31/2
fathoms, mud. Our latitude here was 17 deg. 5', longitude 139 deg. 26'; and
azimuths taken with the surveying compass, when the head was N. by E.,
gave variation 2 deg. 49', or 3 deg. 15' east, corrected. I went on shore with
the botanical gentlemen, in order to take bearings, and explore further
up the opening.

Allen's Isle is between four and five miles in length, and though
generally barren, there are bushes and small trees upon it, and some
tolerable grass. It is altogether low land; but the south-east end is
cliffy, and within two cables length of it there is 4 fathoms; no fresh
water was found near the shore, nor any place where casks could be
conveniently landed. After taking a set of bearings I left the gentlemen
to follow their pursuits, and rowed north-westward, intending to go round
the island; but an impassable reef extended so far out, that the project
was given up; and after taking angles from one of the rocks, I went
eastward to a smaller island two miles off, where several Indians where
perceived. The water was too shallow for