76 A VOYAGE TO [South Coast. 
I802. two outer of his Doubtful Islands, steered through it with soundings 
January. r . 0 
Wednes. 6. trom 20 to 24 lathoms. I then hauled up south-westward, along 
the inner island and point, and sent away the master to sound 
between them ; it being my intention to anchor, if a sufficient depth 
should be found for the ship to escape in case the wind came to blow 
from the eastward : it was then light at south-east-by-south. Mr. 
Thistle found the opening to be very narrow, and no more than 2 
fathoms in the shoalest part; we therefore stood out, repassing 
within a small black islet, upon which were some seals. At eight, 
tacked to the southward, and weathered the Doubtful Islands. 
On the north side of the isles and of Point Hood, the shore 
falls back five or six miles to the west-south-west before it curves 
northward, and affords good shelter against all winds which do not 
blow strong from between north-east and east. At the time we 
stood out of the bay, the ship was three miles within the outermost 
islands, and not more than a cable's length from the shore of Point 
Hood, and we had >j\ fathoms, sandy bottom. The point and islands 
are steep and rocky, but the western shores of this great bay are 
mostly sandy beaches. On the north-western and north sides, there 
are some masses of tolerably high land which appeared to be granitic; 
and for distinction in the survey, they are called West, Middle, and 
East Mount Barren. 
The wind was variable between east and north-by-east, during 
Thursday 7. the night. At day break, the three mounts were in sight, and the 
north end of the Doubtful Isles bore N. 74,° W. three leagues. As 
the wind veered round to the west and southward, we steered more 
in for the north side of Doubtful-Island Bay; and at noon, our 
situation and the bearings of the land were these : , 
Latitude, observed to the north and south, - 34 16 40 
Longitude by time keepers, - - no, 47 
Doubtful Isles, south extreme, dist. 1 1 miles, S. 55 W. 
West Mount Barren, - - - N. 77- W. 
Middle d°. - - _ - N. 25 W. 
East d°., the furthest visible land, - N. 28 E, 
