ut the wind becoming light at nine
o'clock, Mr. Bampton anchored in 9 fathoms, on a muddy bottom, in
latitude 7 deg. 55' south. The coast of New Guinea was then seen to extend
from N. N. W. 1/2 W. to E. N. E.; and the south end of a reef, running off
from the western extreme, bore W. by S. 1/2 S., two leagues.

The land here forms a large, unsheltered bay; and an opening nearly at
the head, bearing N. 1/2 E., appeared like the entrance of a considerable
river; but an officer, who was sent in a boat to sound, saw breakers
stretching across. The soundings were regular, from 9 to 6 fathoms,
within a mile or two of the shore; when there was only twelve feet; and
the surf which rolled in, made it impossible to land. The country round
the bay is described as level and open, and of an agreeable aspect.

On the return of the boat the ships weighed, and stretched southward
until June 27, at noon. The latitude was then 9 deg. 1'; and a sand bank was
seen from the mast head, bearing S. W. 1/2 W. They then wore to the
north-eastward; and continued upon that course until the 28th, at dusk;
when the land of New Guinea being in sight as far as E. by N., the same,
apparently, which had been set from the anchorage on the 26th, they
stretched off till two in the morning and then in again, towards the
land.

Captain Bampton had followed the coast of New Guinea thus far, in the
hope of finding a passage to the northward, between it and Louisiade; but
the trending of the land so far to the east, and the difficulty of
weathering it, from the current being adverse, obliged him to give up
that hope. A consultation was then held; and a determination made to
attempt the passage through the middle of Torres' Strait.

At the time the ships hauled their wind to the southward, the latitude
was 8 deg. 3'; the longitude, from three distances of the sun and moon, 145 deg.
23'; and the depth of water 40 fathoms, on a muddy bottom. They had no
soundings from that time to July 1, at one a.m.; when there was 35
fathoms. At daylight, land, which was the _Darnley's Island_ of captain
Bligh, bore S. W. by S. seven or eight leagues; a dry sand was seen in
the W. N. W., (probably W. S. W.); and a reef, which appears to have been
that of Anchor Key, was six or seven miles distant in the S. E. At four
in the afternoon, when Darnley's Island bore W. by N. 1/2 N. five leagues,
and Murray's Island S. E. 1/2 E. (probably S. S. E. 1/2 E.) the ships
anchored in 22 f