288 . 
A VOYAGE TO 
[Torres' Strait - 
there are dry banks, also frequented by birds, and the easternmost 
bank is covered with wiry grass and some shrubs, and is called Bird 
Islet, Their situations are these : 
Cato’s Bank 23° 6 ' south, i55° 2 3' east 
Bird Islet - 22 1 1>5 2 7 
The bearing and distance of these dangers must be successively 
worked, and a course steered so as to leave them half a degree to the 
westward ; but for fear of an error in the time keeper the latitude 
23 0 20' should not be passed in the night. It is better to make short 
tacks till daylight, than to heave to ; and allowance should be made 
for a probable current of one mile an hour to the north-west. A 
good look-out must be constantly kept ; and a confidential officer 
should now go to the mast-head every two hours in the day and to 
the fore yard at night, to listen as well as look ; lot in dark nights 
the breakers may often be heard before they can be seen. It w«ll 
not be amiss 7 , if the time of the day be favourable, to make Bird 
Islet, which is well settled, in order to see how the longitude by 
time keeper agrees ; and should it err, the difference, or more, must 
be added to, or subtracted from its future longitudes ; for it is most 
probable that the error will continue to augment the same way, more 
especially if the time keeper be a good one. 
, Having passed Wreck Reef, there are no other known dangers 
near the route for Torres’ Strait, till we come to Diana s Bank; but 
as others may exist, it will be prudent to lie to, or preferably to 
make short tacks in the night, during the rest of the passage to the 
Strait. In light nights, however, and moderate weather, there would 
be not much risk in closely following the Cumberland’s track, 
carrying no more sail than will allow of the ship being conveniently 
hauled to the wind ; but if an unusual number of boobies and gannets 
be seen in the evening, there is strong suspicion of a bank and reef 
being near ; and the direction which the birds take, if they all go one 
way as is usual in an evening, will nearly show its bearing. The lon- 
gitude of Diana’s Bank, according to M. de Bougainville, is 15V if)' 
