ocks on it, which had been the extreme
of the preceding evening, was passed at ten o'clock; and seeing a large
bight round it, we tacked to work up. At noon, the point bore from N. 44 deg.
E., one mile and a half, to the southern extreme at east, three miles.
This point is one of the very few remarkable projections to be found on
this low coast, but it is not noticed in the Dutch chart; there is little
doubt, however, that it was seen in 1606, in the yacht Duyfhen, the first
vessel which discovered any part of Carpentaria; and that the remembrance
may not be lost, I gave the name of the vessel to the point. Our
observations placed the south extreme of _Duyfhen Point_ in 12 deg. 35'
south, and 141 deg. 42' east; and the variation from amplitude, with the
ships head W. N. W., was 5 deg. 24', or reduced to the meridian, 3 deg. 43' east.

On the sea breeze setting in at two o'clock, we steered into the bight
until past five; when having no more than 21/2 fathoms, we tacked and
stretched out. The bight extends eleven or twelve miles back from the
line of the coast, and there are three small openings in it; but the
shore being very low, and in many places over-run with mangroves, and the
water shallow four or five miles off, these openings are probably no more
than drains out of salt swamps or lagoons. The bearings when we tacked in
21/2 fathoms, were,

Duyfhen Point, south extreme, dist. 6 or 7 miles, N. 63 deg. W.
Small opening behind it, distant 5 or 6 miles, N. 23 W.
A second opening, distant four miles, N. 64 E.
A third, distant three miles, S. 78 E.

At eight in the evening, having reached out of the bight, and a breeze
coming off the land, we steered southward until half past ten; and then
anchored in 8 fathoms, muddy bottom. In the morning [TUESDAY 9 NOVEMBER
1802], I set the west extreme of Duyfhen Point at N. 9 deg. E.; and the
furthest land in the opposite direction, at S. 9 deg. E. This land forms the
south side of the large bight; and besides projecting beyond the coast
line, and being a little higher than usual, is remarkable for having some
reddish cliffs in it, and deep water near the shore. It is not noticed in
the Dutch chart; but I called it _Pera Head_, to preserve the name of the
second vessel which, in 1623, sailed along this coast.

(Atlas, Plate XIV.)

Pera Head was passed at the distance of one mile and a half, at noon,
with 9 fathoms water; and the most p