84 
A VOYAGE TO 
[East Coast . 
October UntiI m idnight, five hours after the moon had passed the 
Tuesday 5. meridian, a tide came from S. by E.,half a mile per hour. The ship 
then tended to the N. E. by E. ; and this tide, whose rate was one 
mile, appearing to be the flood, led me to suppose there might be an 
Wednes. 6 . open sea in that direction. In the morning, I sent a boat to lieutenant 
Murray with instructions for his guidance in case of separation ; and 
appointed him Murray’s Islands in Torres’ Strait, discovered by cap- 
tain Edwards in 1 79 1 , for the first rendezvous; cautioning him to 
be strictly on his guard against the treachery of the natives. 
We weighed at seven o’clock, and steered N. N. E., close to 
the wind; at ten, reefs came in sight, extending from W. byN., 
to N. by E. | E., which we weathered one mile, having 35 fathoms 
water. Our situation at noon was in latitude 20° 45' 40", from ob- 
servations to the north and south, and the longitude by time keeper 
150° 28' ; the east end of the great reef to leeward bore S. W. ± W. 
two miles, and it extended in patches to N. 16 0 W., where, at the dis- 
tance of two leagues, was either a dry white sand or high breakers ; 
but which, could not be discerned from the reflection of the sun. 
Nothing was seen to the north-east, and we now lay up in that 
direction ; but at one o’clock there was a small reef bearing N. - E. ; 
and at three, a larger one extended from N. by W. \ W. to E. N.E., 
and on the outside of it were such high breakers, that nothing less 
than the unobstructed waves of the ocean could produce them. We 
stood on for this reef, until four ; and being then one mile off, 
tacked to the southward, having 33 fathoms, nearly the same depth 
as before. 
The larbord tack was continued to six o’clock, at which time 
we anchored in 32 fathoms, white sand, shells, and pieces of coral, 
having neither reef nor danger of any kind in sight ; but the smooth- 
ness of the water left no doubt of many lying to windward. From 
the high breakers seen in the afternoon, however, hopes were 
entertained of soon clearing the reefs ; for by this time I was weary 
of them, not only from the danger to which the vessels were 
thereby exposed, but from fear of the contrary monsoon setting 
