Torres' Strait.] TERRA AUSTRALIS. 
age, when Boot Island shall be visited, this little remark, if it live so 
long, may be of some interest to the geographer. 
I hauled up under the lee side of the reef, intending to anchor 
and go in a boat to sound the deep water within ; but not finding any 
ground with 70 fathoms at a mile off, we bore away at two o'clock 
to make Murray's Islands. At three, breakers were seen four or 
five miles to the southward, and others, perhaps on the same reef, 
about three miles W. S. W. from them ; in half an hour the largest 
of Murray’s Islands came in sight to the W. by N. ; and our course 
being continued to six o’clock, the centre then bore N. 78° W. nearly 
four leagues, but the front reefs, which could not be more than half 
that distance in the same direction, were not visible. We then 
hauled to the wind, and stood oft and on till daylight, when the Saturday 22 . 
largest island bore W. by S. 
Murray’s Islands may be considered as the key to the best 
passage yet known through Torres’ Strait, and my route to them in 
the Investigator being circuitous, I wished to ascertain whether a 
more direct track might not be found ; we therefore steered to make 
the north-eastern reefs, and on coming in with the breakers, ran 
along their south side at the distance of one or two miles. At half . 
past seven, the termination of these reefs bore N. N. W. ; but another 
reef, which extended far to the south, had for some time been in 
sight, and a dry sand on its north end now bore S. W. by W. one 
mile. In the opening between them was a small patch of coral, 
and several green spots in the water round it; but there appear- 
ing to be room for the Cumberland to pass on the north side, I 
ventured through, sounding in 20 and 23 fathoms without finding 
bottom. 
This opening is a mile wide, and lies five or six miles, nearly 
E. N. E., from the largest of Murray’s Islands; it would conse- 
quently be more direct to pass through it than to follow the Investi- 
gator’s track round the north-eastern reefs ; but from the narrow- 
ness ol the opening and the many green spots where the depth is 
VOL. II. X x 
337 
1 803. 
October. 
Friday 21. 
