North Coast: Torres' Strait.'] INTRODUCTION. xliii 
extend a great distance to the east and west ; particularly in the Bampto* 
latter direction, where there are many dry sand banks. The island 
is mostly over-run with mangroves ; and at the top of the flood, the 
wood cutters were obliged to work in the water ; and were, at all 
times, exceedingly annoyed with musketoes. The island is said, in 
the journal, to be in g° 34' south and 140° 55' east; which is 3' to the 
south and i° 24' west of its situation in the chart of captain Bligh. 
No other refreshment than small quantities of fish, crabs, and 
shell-fish, being procurable here, the ships crews were further re- 
duced in their short allowance. With respect to fresh water, their 
situation was still worse : None could be obtained upon Turn-again 
Island ; and had not captain Bampton ingeniously contrived a still, 
their state would have been truly deplorable. He caused a cover, 
with a hole in the centre, to be fitted by the carpenter upon a large 
cooking pot ; and over the hole he luted an inverted tea kettle, with 
the spout cut off. To the stump of the spout, was fitted a part of 
the tube of a speaking trumpet; and this was lengthened by a gun 
barrel, which passed through a cask of salt water, serving as a cooler. 
From this machine, good fresh water, to the amount of twenty-five 
to forty gallons per day, was procured ; and obtained a preference 
to that contained in the few casks remaining in the Hormuzeer. 
By Aug. 20., when the weather had become more moderate, the 
boats had sounded amongst the reefs in all directions ; but there 
appeared to be no practicable passage out of this labyrinth, except 
to the north-west. In that direction the ships proceeded three hours, 
m from 6 to 3 fathoms. Next afternoon, they steered westward, 
with the flood tide ; and again anchored in 3 fathoms, sand and 
gravel. The coast of New Guinea then extended from N. by E. ~ E. 
to N. W. I N. ; and the north-west end of a long island, to which 
the name of Talbot was given, bore N. by E. ~ E. nine or ten miles. 
Aug. 22. At day-light they followed the long boat to the west- 
ward, in soundings from s| to 4 fathoms. At seven o'clock, the 
Hormuzeer grounded in 2 fathoms ; upon a bank whence Talbot's 
i 
