86 
A VOYAGE TO 
{East Coast 
1802. 
October. 
Friday 8. 
Saturday 9- 
were in latitude 20 0 55 1 , and longitude 150° 55' by time keeper. We 
seemed at this time to be surrounded with reefs ; but it was ascer- 
tained by the whale boat, that many of these appearances were 
caused by the shadows of clouds and the ripplings and eddies of tide, 
and that the true coral banks were those only which had either green 
water or negro heads upon them. Of these, however, there was a 
formidable mass, all round a-head, with but one small channel 
through them ; and this I was resolved to attempt, in the hope of its 
carrying us out to windward of the high breakers. 
At two o’clock, the eastern reef, which was a mile distant to 
leeward and nearly dry, was seen to terminate, whilst the northern 
reefs extended out of sight to the north-east ; the opening between 
them was a mile and a half wide, and full of ripplings ; but having 
the whale boat a-head, we bore away E. S. E., to go through the 
least agitated part. Having little wind, and a flood tide making 
against us, the boat was called back to tow, and the brig directed to 
take its station by means of her sweeps. Our soundings were 
irregular in the narrow part, between 24 and 9 fathoms, on rocky 
ground ; but after getting through, we bad from 30 to 32, the usual 
depth in the open places. At sunset, the stream anchor was dropped 
on a bottom of coral sand and shells ; the reefs then in sight extend- 
ing from about E. S. E., round by the north to N. W., where was 
the great northern bank. Whether there were any passage through 
them, could not be discerned; but the breakers on many of the outer 
parts proved the open sea to be not far distant, and that the waves 
ran high; whilst within side, the water was as tranquil as in harbour. 
The ship rode north-west, till between eight and nine o’clock, 
when it appeared to be high water, and the depth was 35 fathoms ; 
at 9 h 34' the moon passed the meridian, and we were then riding 
S. by W., to a tide which ran at the strongest one and a quarter mile 
per hour. Between three and four in the morning this tide had done, 
the depth was 31 fathoms, and the ship afterwards rode N. N. E. till 
daylight. The first of the flood therefore came from the N. N. E., 
