338 
A VOYAGE TO 
[. Nor th Co as 
1803. 
October. 
Saturday 22. 
unknown to me, I dare not recommend it to a ship, though very 
practicable for small vessels in fine weather. The dry bank on the 
south side of the opening will probably be covered at three-quarters 
flood. 
After clearing the passage, I steered W. N. W. to avoid going 
near Murray’s Islands, lest the small size of the Cumberland should 
tempt the Indians to make an attack ; this they were likely to do if 
the opportunity offered, and many were standing on the shore with 
their canoes seemingly in readiness. At 8 h 50' the large island bore 
S. 6° E. to 13 0 W., three or four miles ; and our position in longitude 
being very nearly the same with that of my former anchorage, alti- 
tudes were taken for the time keeper. The result, when corrected, 
was 144 0 2' o" east, and in the Investigator it had been 144 0 s' 58", 
being a difference scarcely worth notice. When it is considered that 
Wreck Reef, whence the Cumberland’s departure was takfcn, and 
Coepang in Timor, by which the longitude is corrected, are laid 
down from observations wholly distinct from those at Upper Head 
and Sweers’ Island, which regulated the Investigator’s longitude, 
this near coincidence will be thought remarkable ; and it must also 
be allowed to show, that an equally accelerated rate and supple- 
mental correction are improvements on the ordinary management 
of time keepers. 
At this time, the large reef to the north of Murray’s Islands 
was distant one or two miles, and we steered westward along it, to 
get into my former track ; but the man at the mast head saying 
that the water was discoloured, and that he did not think there was 
any passage in the direction we steered, I thought myself deceived 
in the distance of the island ; and the schooner was hauled up two 
points to the southward, where the appearance was better. It be- 
came evident, however, that the discoloured water was in the same 
ripplings of tide through which the Investigator had passed without 
finding bottom at 30 fathoms; and no doubt it was from these 
ripplings that the discolouring arose. 
