Barrier Reefs.] 
TERRA AUSTRALIS. 
98 
eastern side. At sunset, the anchor was dropped in 3 6 fathoms, near 
to our situation on the 6th at noon ; the dry reefs bearing from Wednes. 13. 
S. 20 0 to N. 2t° W., distant from one to three miles. 
At daylight the breeze was still from the north-westward, and Thurs. 1 4 . 
our course was pursued to the south and south-west, close round the 
inner end of the reefs, till they trended west and we could no longer 
keep in with them. The Pine Peak of the northern Percy Isles, 
and several of the Cumberland Islands were then in sight ; and at 
noon our situation and bearings were as under. 
Latitude observed to the north and south, 
Longitude by time keeper. 
Pine Peak, - 
Northumberland I., marked i, 
Cumberland I., marked k, 
, six others, 
21° 2' S. 
150 11 E. 
S. 6 30 E. 
S. 60 40 W. 
N. 89* to N. 85 30 W. 
S. 75 toN. 54 30 W. 
The nearest of these isles was little better than a sand bank sur- 
rounded with rocks, and was distant two leagues in the direction of 
N. 54 0 W. We tacked ship at one, and at four o’clock ; and an- 
chored at dusk, in 27 fathoms fine sand, about five miles to the 
N. N. W. of our noon’s situation. 
The wind was at S. by E. in the morning, and we steered north- Friday 15. 
ward after the brig, in order to fall in with the reefs and prosecute 
our search for an opening ; in an hour they were visible, and we 
passed along their west side at the distance of a mile. Before nine 
o’clock the brig made signal for having only 17 fathoms, other 
reefs were discovered in the north-west, and the course was altered 
to pass within them, At eleven we rounded their west end ; and at 
noon were in latitude qo° 38' 58", and from the bearing of the Cum- 
berland Isle k, in longitude 150° T east. We were now obliged to 
steer westward again, having reefs at the distance of two miles, from 
N. E. by E. to N. W. by W. ; and seeing that they extended onward, 
and the breeze was fresh, I hauled up for the Cumberland Island 
marked /, the largest yet seen, with the intention of anchoring there 
