cxcvi 
INTRODUCTION. 
[Prior Discoveries. 
Flinders. We stood on to within two miles of the opening in Moreton Bay J 
but seeing it blocked up by many shoals of sand, and the depth hav- 
ing diminished from 12 to 4 fathoms, the course was altered for Cape 
Moreton, which was visible seven or eight leagues to the northward. 
At eight in the evening, the anchor was dropped in 7 fathoms at the 
entrance of Glass-house Bay, Cape Moreton bearing E. S. E. two or 
three miles. 
But little progress was made up the bay on the 15th, owing to 
the many shoals in it, and to a foul wind. At noon, the latitude of 
Cape Moreton was ascertained to be 27' of south, and the longitude 
from distances of stars east and west of the moon, corrected by the 
observations at Greeenwich, was 153° 25' east; being 4J' south, 
and 7' west of its position by captain Cook. In the evening, when 
the lunar distances were observed, the sloop was at anchor in u 
fathoms on the west side of the entrance, within two miles of alow 
projection which an unfortunate occurrence afterwards caused to be 
named Point Skirmish. 
On the 16th, whilst beating up amongst the shoals, an opening 
was perceived round the point ; and being much in want of a place 
to lay the sloop on shore, on account of the leak, I tried to enter it ; 
but not finding it accessible from the south, was obliged to make the 
examination with the boat, whilst the sloop lay at anchor five miles 
off. There was a party of natives on the point, and our com munication 
was at first friendly ; but after receiving presents they made an at- 
tack, and one of them was wounded by our fire. Proceeding up the" 
opening, I found it to be more than a mile in width ; and from the 
quantities of pumice stone on the borders, it was named Pumice-stone 
River. It led towards the remarkable peaks called the Glass Houses, 
which were now suspected to be volcanic, and excited my curiosity. 
On board the sloop, the leak had, in the mean time, been found 
to arise from a plank having started from the timbers, at three or 
four streaks above the keel ; and the open space being filled up 
with oakum from the inside, very little water came in ; I therefore 
