262 
A VOYAGE TO 
[ From Timor . 
isos, bank existed and had any connexion to the north-east, it was more 
likely to be with the Sahul Shoal than with Timor ; and I therefore 
steered a course to get upon the line between the two ; proposing 
afterwards to run westward, across the line of direction from the 
Rocks to Timor, so as in either case to fall in upon the bank. 
We sounded every two hours, and hove to three times a day, to 
Saturday io, get a greater depth; and in this way ran S. W. until the 16th at 
noon, to latitude 16 0 15' and longitude 11 6 ° 45', without finding 
bottom with from 100 to 240 fathoms of line. Our course was then 
Thursday 21. W. by S., sounding in the same manner, until the 21st in the morn- 
ing, to latitude 17 0 45' and longitude 107° 58', but equally without, 
success as to the bank ; and I then hauled to the wind at S. E., in 
order to make the rocks themselves. 
, The Trial Rocks obtained their name from the English ship 
Trial, which was lost upon them in 1622 ; but their exact situation 
seemed not to be well known. Mr. Dalrymple had published a 
sketch of them upon the authority of a Dutch sloop, apparently sent 
from Batavia expressly for their examination ; and in this they are 
described to lie in 19 0 30' south, eighty leagues from the coast of 
New Holland ; but Arrowsmith in his large chart of the South Sea, 
laid the Trial Rocks down in 20° 40' south, and 104° 30' east, or 
near double the distance from the coast. The soundings of two 
East-Indiamen near the rocks, given in the South-Sea chart, stamped 
this last position with an authority which decided my opinion in its 
favour, and I accordingly steered for it. 
Dull weather, with frequent heavy rain, thunder, and light- 
ning, had prevailed from the time of leaving Coepang, and it pi o- 
duced the same effect upon the health of the ship s company as 
similar weather had before done in the Gulph of Carpentaria ; for 
we had at this time ten men in the sick list with diarrhoea, and many 
others were slightly affected. It seemed possible that the change ol 
food, from salt provisions to the fresh meat, fruit, and vegetables of 
Timor,— -a change by which I hoped to banish every appearance of 
