XX 
INTRODUCTION. 
[Prior Discoveries, 
Bugh and At four o'clock, the vessels edged away round the north end of 
F °i79^ K ' Portlock's Reef, which, at dusk, bore South, about two leagues ; and 
the wind was then hauled for the night. 
Sept. 2. The breakers bore South, four or five miles; and cap- 
tain Bligh steered westward : the Assistant leading. At noon, the 
latitude being 9 0 26', longitude, by time keepers, 144 0 23', other 
breakers were seen a-head, and the vessels hauled the wind to the 
southward ; but finding another reef in that direction, with a dry 
bank upon it, they tacked to the N. E. at half past one ; and got 
ground, for the first time, in 64, fathoms, coral bottom. During the 
following night, they stood oft" and on, constantly getting soundings. 
No breakers were in sight in the morning of Sept. 3. At seven, 
a boat was sent a-head ; and the vessels bore away after her to the 
N. W., in order to try the New-Guinea side of the Strait. At noon, 
their course was interrupted by a reef, which was named Bond's 
Reef, extending from W.N. W. to North, and distant four or five 
miles: observed latitude 9 0 6', longitude 144 0 13'. The north side 
of the Strait being judged impracticable, the wind was again hauled 
to the southward ; and, at dusk, the vessels anchored in 37 fathoms, 
fine grey sand ; five or six miles north of a reef, upon which was a 
dry bank, called Anchor Key. An island of considerable height, 
bearing S. W. by W. ten leagues, was then seen from the mast head : 
Captain Bligh gave it the name of Darnley's Island; and to the space 
between Portlock's and Bond's Reefs, by which the vessels had 
entered the Strait, that of Bligh' s Entrance. 
Sept. 4. A boat was sent to the S. S. W., and the vessels followed. 
Other high lands ( Murray's Isles ) were seen to the southward ; and 
a reef with a sand bank on it, to the west. At noon, the latitude 
was 9 0 32' south, and longitude 143 0 59' east : Darnley's Island bore 
S. 74° to 8 2 0 W., four leagues ; and the largest of Murray's Isles, 
S. 13 0 to 21 0 E. : the western reef was about three miles distant, but 
nothing was visible a-head in the S. by W. At four o'clock, the 
vessels anchored in 21 fathoms, sandy bottom; with Darnley's 
