1778. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 449 



on. At the time we tacked, the southernmost point 

 of land, the same which is mentioned above, and 

 was named Point Shallow Water, bore S. E., seven 

 leagues distant. 



We resumed our course to the southward at day- 

 break next morning ; but shoal water obliged us to 

 haul more to the westward. At length we got so far 

 advanced upon the bank that we could not hold a 

 N. N. W. course, meeting sometimes with only four 

 fathoms. The wind blowing fresh at E. N. E., it was 

 high time to look for deep water, and to quit a coast 

 upon which we could no longer navigate with any 

 degree of safety. I therefore hauled the wind to the 

 northward, and gradually deepened the water to eight 

 fathoms. At the time we hauled the wind, we were 

 at least twelve leagues from the continent, and nine 

 to the westward of Stuart's Island. No land was 

 seen to the southward of Point Shallow- Water, which 

 I judge to lie in the latitude of 63. So that be- 

 teen this latitude and Shoal Ness, in latitude 60, 

 the coast is entirely unexplored. Probably it is ac- 

 cessible only to boats or very small vessels ; or, at 

 least, if there be channels for larger vessels, it would 

 require some time to find them ; and I am of opinion 

 that they must be looked for near the coast. From 

 the mast head, the sea within us appeared to be 

 chequered with shoals; the water was very much dis- 

 coloured and muddy, and considerably fresher than 

 at any of the places where we had lately anchored. 

 From this I inferred that a considerable river runs 

 into the sea in this unknown part. 



As soon as we got into eight fathoms' water, I 

 steered to the westward, and afterward more south- 

 erly, for the land discovered on the 5th, which, at 

 noon the next day, bore S. W. by W., ten or eleven 

 leagues distant. At this time we had a fresh #ale at 

 N., with showers of hail and snow at intervals, and 

 a pretty high sea, so that we got clear of the shoals 



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