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INTRODUCTION. 
\JPrior Discoveries. 
Flinders. August 2 at noon, the eastern extremity of Sandy Cape bore 
(AtL 7 PL*x.) N. 51 0 W., six miles, and its latitude was found to be 24 0 42', being 
three minutes north of its situation by captain Cook. In running 
northward, within two or three miles of the edge of Break-sea Spit, 
we had 12 fathoms ; and at five o'clock, passed over the end of the 
spit in Sandy Cape then bearing S. 9° E. six leagues. The 
water deepened almost immediately to more than 17 fathoms; and 
in keeping close to a south-east wind, up Hervey's Bay, the depth 
was from 20 to 14, during the night. 
On the 3rd, the wind veered to S. S. W.; and at noon the anchor 
was dropped in 17 fathoms, with the extreme of Sandy Cape bearing 
N. 66° E. seven or eight miles. The observed latitude was 24 0 45^', 
and a tide of one mile per hour came from the southward. A fair 
wind sprung up in the afternoon, and we ran five leagues by log in 
a S. by W. direction, anchoring at dusk in 11 fathoms, sandy bottom. 
Aug. 4 was employed in beating up along the eastern shore, 
against a south-west wind. At three leagues above the anchorage, 
our progress was stopped by a mass of shoals which seemed to pre- 
clude all further access towards the head of the bay on that side. In 
the night, we stretched north-westward, to get round them ; and in 
the evening of the 5th, anchored in 5 fathoms, three or four miles 
from the western shore. 
Aug. 6. The wind being off the land, we followed the line of the 
coast upwards, as close as the shoals would allow ; and before noon 
entered an opening formed by the western shore on one side, and an 
island of moderate height, three or four miles long, on the other. 
The opening was not more than two miles wide, and was still further 
contracted by a low islet in the middle, surrounded with shallow 
banks. There was a large expanse of water above ; but we had 
not advanced two miles before shoal water obliged us to tack ; and 
after having tried for a channel in every direction, without success, 
I anchored in 3 fathoms, half a mile north-west from the low islet, 
and landed. 
