tacked to the southward with the intention of steering on to
make what progress we could during the night.

The attempt was hazardous, as we were strangers to the part; but if some
little risk was not run we had no chance of penetrating. From fifteen
fathoms we deepened to twenty-one, but as quickly shoaled again to
fifteen, and then suddenly to seven fathoms, hard sand.

The cutter was then put about and we steered off North-West for six miles
and passed through several ripplings, occasioned by the tide flowing with
rapidity over a rocky and irregular bottom. After running the above
distance we again hauled to the wind, but had hardly trimmed sails before
we again suddenly shoaled from sixteen to seven fathoms. This was too
dangerous to persist in, and I gave up the attempt of venturing forward
during the night.

September 12.

The next morning the land was visible about Point Pearce, bearing
North-North-East.

The colour of the water here is of a dirty yellow; it was imagined at
first to be caused by the tide stirring up the mud; but on examination we
found that it arose entirely from the reflection of the bottom, which is
a brown and yellow speckled sand. Although this change of the bottom was
favourable to the importance of the opening before us, yet it rendered
our difficulties greater, and increased the dangers, from its offering
less secure anchorage, and being so much more studded with shoals, than
the even muddy bottom that we had just left.

At daylight the breeze was strong from East-South-East: at seven o'clock,
having fetched in with the land on the north side, we tacked and stood
across to the opposite shore. The land in the bight was visible in
patches as far as south-east, and the loom of it as far as south-west:
three smokes, one bearing south, another South-South-West, and another
south-west, proved the contiguity of the main; which is so low that when
we were very near it was scarcely distinguishable on account of the haze
and smoke with which it was enveloped. At 10 hours 40 minutes we were
about a mile and a half from a reef which was dry for more than a mile in
extent, and nearer to us was a patch of breakers: in standing towards
these shoals our soundings had been regular between nine and ten fathoms;
but at this time they unexpectedly shoaled at one cast, from eight to
three fathoms: the course was altered in time to prevent the cutter's
striking. We were now obliged to steer off, and afte