2C4 VOYAGE IN SEARCH 



although fhe was riding by a very heavy bower 

 anchor. 



We had fpent more time than we intended in 

 exploring D'Entrecafteaux's Strait. To get out 

 of it, we had yet to go about the diitance of a 

 demi-myriameter. The wind was againft us, but 

 the tide was in our favour, and we weighed 

 anchor at half paft nine o'clock. In working 

 out we often flood within three hectometers of 

 the coaft, where our foundings were from twelve 

 and a half to thirteen fathoms near the high 

 lands, and from fix to fix and a half near the 

 low lands. 



Wc at length reached the extremity of the 

 channel : the two points of land which terminate 

 it are at moil a demi-myriameter did ant from 

 each other, in a fouth-eafr and north -weft direc- 

 tion. We borrowed pretty clofe on that on the 

 fiarboard hand, where we found no more than 

 from three and a half to four fathom", at the out- 

 let of the channel. So great a decrcafe in the 

 depth of water naturally led us to prrfume that 

 there was here a very hard rock, which refitted 

 the daily current of the flood and ebb ; and the 

 lead informed us that this conjecture was well 

 founded. This was the only foul ground that 

 was remarked throughout the whole length of 

 the Strait, whence we came out towards noon. 

 We then difcovcred to the eaft by fouth an open- 

 ing 



