he line of his course is
made too near the shore, at least not far to the east of this place, the
water is there so shallow that he could not come there so nigh.

But to proceed. In the night we had a small land breeze, and in the
morning I weighed anchor, designing to run in among the islands, for they
had large channels between them of a league wide at least, and some two
or three leagues wide. I sent in my boat before to sound, and if they
found shoal water to return again, but if they found water enough to go
ashore on one of the islands and stay till the ship came in, where they
might in the meantime search for water. So we followed after with the
ship, sounding as we went in, and had twenty fathom till within two
leagues of the Bluff head, and then we had shoal water and very uncertain
soundings; yet we ran in still with an easy sail, sounding and looking
out well, for this was dangerous work. When we came abreast of the Bluff
head, and about two miles from it, we had but seven fathom, then we edged
away from it, but had no more water, and running in a little farther we
had but four fathoms, so we anchored immediately; and yet when we had
veered out a third of a cable, we had seven fathom water again, so
uncertain was the water. My boat came immediately on board, and told me
that the island was very rocky and dry, and they had little hopes of
finding water there. I sent them to sound, and bade them, if they found
a channel of eight or ten fathom water, to keep on, and we would follow
with the ship. We were now about four leagues within the outer small
rocky islands, but still could see nothing but islands within us, some
five or six leagues long, others not above a mile round. The large
islands were pretty high, but all appeared dry, and mostly rocky and
barren. The rocks looked of a rusty yellow colour, and therefore I
despaired of getting water on any of them, but was in some hopes of
finding a channel to run in beyond all these islands, could I have spent
time here, and either got to the main of New Holland or find out some
other islands that might afford us water and other refreshments; besides
that among so many islands we might have found some sort of rich mineral,
or ambergris, it being a good latitude for both these. But we had not
sailed above a league farther before our water grew shoaler again, and
then we anchored in six fathom, hard sand.

We were now on the inner side of the island, on whos