COASTS OF AUSTRALIA. 
11 
vourable for our seeing the coast as we passed 
it : Cape Bowling Green was not seen, but the 
gradual decrease of soundings from eighteen to 
fourteen fathoms, and the subsequent increase 
of depth, indicated our having passed this low 
and dangerous projection. At daylight of the 
16 th, we passed outside the Palm Islands at the is. 
distance of five miles. 
The weather continued so thick and rainy, 
that Mount Hinchinbrooke was quite concealed 
from our view ; but a partial glimpse of the land 
enabled me to distinguish Point Hillock, and af- 
terwards to see Cape Sandwich, Goold Island, 
and the group of the Family Isles. 
In passing the largest Frankland Island, the ir. 
San Antonio was seen lying at anchor near it, 
with her fore topsail loose, firing guns : seeing 
this, we hauled to the wind, and made sail to 
beat up towards her, under the idea of her being 
in distress ; but as we approached, we observed 
a boat alongside, and her top-gallant yards across, 
which were proofs that she was not in such im- 
mediate danger, as to require our beating up, 
with the risk of losing some of our spars, for 
the Dick had already sprung her jib-boom ; we, 
therefore, hove the vessels to, and soon after- 
wards the San Antonio joined and passed under 
our stern, when Mr. Hemmans informed me that 
