y South, we steered in the
latter direction under the idea of there being no opening to the
southward of the point, since the flood-tide flowed from it instead of
towards it, as it naturally would have done had there been any inlet of
consequence thereabout.

As usual, we had been surrounded by whales, and large flights of boobies;
one of the latter lighted upon the deck this afternoon, and was easily
taken; it seemed to be the same bird (Pelecanus fiber) that frequents the
reefs upon the north and north-eastern coasts. Between sunrise and midday
our progress was much retarded by light south-easterly winds. At noon we
were in 17 degrees 51 minutes 45 seconds South: after which the
sea-breeze set in from South-South-West and South-West, and we steered to
the southward. The land was now visible considerably to the southward of
Point Gantheaume, but of a very low and sandy character; and as we
proceeded it came in sight to the South-South-West. At sunset we anchored
about five or six miles to the north of Captain Baudin's Cape Villaret;
the extreme, which was in sight a little without it, was doubtless his
Cape Latouche-Treville. From Cape Villaret the land trended to the
East-North-East, and was seen very nearly to join the shore at the back
of Point Gantheaume.

The dew was precipitated as copiously this evening as the last, and the
sun set in a very dense bank; but the night was throughout fine. We now
began to experience a more considerable set of tide than we had found
since rounding Cape Leveque, for the rate was as much as a knot and a
half; but as the tides were neaped it only rose nine feet.

At an anchorage near this spot, in the year 1699, Captain Dampier remarks
that the tide rose and fell five fathoms, and ran so strong that his
nun-buoy would not watch: but the French expedition, at an anchorage a
little to the southward, found the flood-tide to set South-South-East and
to rise only nine feet, the moon being then three days past her full. All
these particulars have been mentioned, since it is from the nature of the
tides that Captain Dampier formed his hypothesis of the existence of
either a strait or an opening between this and the Rosemary Islands; but
from our experience it would appear more probable that these great tides
are occasioned by the numerous inlets that intersect the coast between
this and Cape Voltaire; a further examination, however, can only prove
the real cause.

August 26.

At daylig