ate top-gallant gale and fine weather; course
held N.E. by E. and N.E.1/2% point N.; they still kept sailing along
low-lying land only.

On the 29th of April the wind was S.S.E. and S.E. in the morning and
forenoon, with a fresh topsail breeze; at daybreak they weighed anchor
and set sail on courses between N.N.E. and N.N.W. over depths of 10, 12,
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 7, 8, 9 fathom, hard foul bottom; they estimated
themselves to be at 3 miles' distance off the land. At noon their
estimated latitude was 11 deg. 3' South; in the afternoon the wind blew from
the S.E. with a fresh topsail breeze. At 2 o'clock they came to anchor,
since they estimated themselves to be close to Van Spults river; at 3
miles' distance from the land they were in 8 fathom.

On the 30th of April the wind was S.E. by E. and S.E. in the morning and
forenoon, with a fresh breeze. They got the boat ready for the purpose of
taking soundings ahead. At noon their estimated latitude was 10 deg. 56'; at
4 o'clock they had nearly lost sight of the boat, and fired a gun charged
with ball in order to recall the same, but the boat not returning, they
kept a light burning at the top-mast, and during the night fired a gun
now and then. In this way they waited for the boat until the 12th of May,
when they finally resolved to depart from there, since their stock of
water and firewood would not allow of their waiting longer. On board the
missing boat were two steersmen, to wit, Hendrick Snijders and Pieter van
der Meulen, one quartermaster and five common sailors.

On the 12th of May the wind was E.S.E. and S.E. in the morning and
forenoon, with a moderate top-gallant gale and good weather. At daybreak
they weighed anchor and set sail on a western course from the shallows,
passing over depths of 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 fathom fine grey sand. At noon
their estimated latitude was 10 deg. 55' South. In the afternoon and during
the night they had good weather with occasional showers of rain; next
running W.N.W., they sighted the island of Timoor Laudt on the 20th of
May.

...From the above Your Honourable Worships will gather that Lieutenant
Jean Etienne Gonzal, in command of the small bark de Rijder, has executed
Your Honourable Worships' honoured orders, so far as the shores of the
Land of Carpentaria are concerned; but that no exploration of the
interior has been undertaken as enjoined by Your Honourable Worships'
instructions [*] and no landing has been effected on the