ame means as at Half-way Island. The latitude of the bank,
according to Mr. Aken's meridian observation, is 10 deg. 18' south, longitude
by the time keeper 143 deg. 6' east, and there is a similar bank lying two or
three miles to the southward.

On my return the south-east trade had freshened up, and we steered S. W.
by compass, in soundings from 13 to 11 fathoms, soft ground. Some of the
small woody isles before laid down, were seen to the north-westward, but
nothing else till four o'clock; the high flat-topped York Isle then came
in sight, and at six the following bearings were set.

Mount Adolphus, the flat top, S. 33 deg. W.
Two rocks on its south side, S. 17 W.
Western York Isle, the north end, S. 69 W.
A low distant isle (from the mast head), S 1/2 E.

I purposed anchoring between the flat-topped island and the western isle;
but several rocks being seen there, and the night coming on, we bore away
to leeward of the rocks and came to in 13 fathoms, soon after seven
o'clock. The tide was setting to the westward, and so continued till
half past nine, when it turned to the east, and ran till half past
three in the morning [MONDAY 24 OCTOBER 1803]; if the rise by the
shore corresponded with the stream, it was high water _three hours
and a half after_ the moon's passage; which would be five hours later
than at Murray's Islands, and one hour earlier than it had appeared to be
at those of the Prince of Wales (see Ch. V, 1 November). A fresh breeze
from south-east raised a swell here, but the anchor held all night; and
before getting under way next morning, I set the following bearings of
the land.

Flat-topped I., distant three miles S. 42 deg. to 2 deg. E.
Flat-topped I., centre of Mount Adolphus, S. 32 E.
C. York, outer of three islets near the E. extreme, S. 2 E.
Western York I., distant 11/2 miles S. 18 to 88 W.
Northern double I., imperfectly from aloft, N. W. by W.1/2 W.

On passing the north end of the western isle at seven o'clock, I took
altitudes for the time keeper, and from thence deduced the longitude of
Mount Adolphus to be 142 deg. 40' east; we then hauled up for Cape York, with
soundings between 14 and 10 fathoms, leaving on the starbord hand a rock
which lies S. 78 deg. W. five miles from the north end of the western isle.
At half past eight, two rocks close to the northern extremity of t