s we had buried thirteen of our crew, and no
less than thirty more were at the point of death; as all the petty
officers were among the sick, and the lieutenant and myself, who did all
duties, in a feeble condition; it was impossible that we should keep the
sea, and we had no chance of preserving those who were still alive, but
by getting on shore at some place, where rest and refreshment might be
procured; I therefore determined that I would take advantage of our
being so far to the southward, and endeavour to reach Macassar, the
principal settlement of the Dutch upon the island of Celebes.

The next day, we made some islands which lie not far from that place,
and saw, what sometimes we took for shoals, and sometimes for boats with
men on board, but what afterwards appeared to be trees, and other drift,
floating about, with birds sitting upon them; we suddenly found
ourselves twenty miles farther to the southward than we expected, for
the current, which had for some time set us to the northward, had set us
to the southward during the night. We now hauled up east, and E. 1/2 N.
intending to have gone to the northward of a shoal, which has no name in
our East India Pilot, but which the Dutch call the Thumb: By noon,
however, we found ourselves upon it, our water shallowing at once to
four fathom, with rocky ground. We now hauled off to the south-west, and
keeping the boat a-head to sound, ran round the west side of the shoal
in ten and twelve fathom; our water deepening when we hauled off to the
west, and shallowing when we hauled off east. Our latitude, by
observation, when we were upon the shoal, was 5 deg. 20' S. and the
northernmost of the islands, called the Three Brothers, then, bore S. 81
E. at the distance of five or six leagues. This island is, in the
English Pilot, called Don Dinanga, but by the Dutch the North Brother.

Between the Three Brothers, and the main of Celebes, there is another
island, much larger than either of them, called the island of Tonikiky;
but none of them are inhabited, though there are a few huts belonging to
fishermen upon them all. The passage between the shoal and this island
is clear and good, with from ten to thirteen fathom and a sandy bottom;
but the soundings are to be kept on the side of the island in twelve
fathom, and never under ten: It is, however, very difficult and
dangerous for ships to fall in with the land this way without a pilot on
board, for there are many shoals and