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From K.George's Sound,'] TERRA AUSTRALIS. 77 
Our course was directed to the northward, with the wind iso2. 
at south-east-by-south ; but seeing the appearance of an opening in ThuSyV 
the north-west corner of the bay, with smokes rising there, we 
steered north-west for it. In an hour the low land was seen from 
the mast head to extend across the supposed opening, and we then 
hauled up east-by-north, to the wind, at the distance of five or six 
miles from the high, rocky shore between the Middle and East 
Mount Barren. At seven in the evening, the eastern mount bore 
N. 44, 0 W., three leagues, and the coast, which from thence becomes 
sandy, was seen as far as N. 76 0 E. A small reef, one of two before 
laid down both by Vancouver and D'Entrecasteaux, was then ob- 
served three or four miles to seaward. It was important to get 
sight of this reef before dark, for we should otherwise have been at 
great uncertainty during the night, more especially as the surf upon 
it broke only at times. 
The wind being at south-by-east, we tacked and stood west- 
ward, nearly in our afternoon's track, until midnight ; and the breeze 
having then veered to south-west, we were able to stretch off south- 
south-east, to windward of the breakers. At half past five in the 
morning, East Mount Barren was four leagues distant to the north- Friday 8. 
ward, and our course was resumed along the shore. The breakers 
were passed at the distance of two miles, and the mount was set 
over them, bearing N. 38 0 W. at seven o'clock. The second small 
reef lies nearly east-north-east from the first ; and was left three 
miles to the northward. 
On the preceding evening, a small rocky island had been seen 
indistinctly from the mast head, and it now again came in sight to 
the eastward. The French ships had passed without side of this 
island, and I therefore steered to go between it and the main land ; 
but breaking water was seen to extend so far to the north, that 
the uncertainty of finding a passage made the attempt too dangerous 
with the wind right aft. We accordingly hauled up to windward of 
the island ; and had 38 fathoms between it and a small reef lying 
vol. 1. O o 
