6 
SURVEY OF THE INTERTROPICAL 
1 ^ 1 . of the Step she had taken. As it was now in- 
May so. convenient to return to put her on shore, and 
as the man consented to share his ration with 
her, she was allowed to remain ; but in a very 
short time heartily repented of her imprudence, 
and would gladly have been re-landed, had it 
been possible. 
June 4. Between the 30th and the 4th of June we had 
a series of gales of wind, which enabled us to 
prove the capabilities of our new ship ; and it was 
very satisfactory to find that she was Weatherly, 
tight, and dry, three very essential qualities for a 
surveying vessel. 
^ On the afternoon of the 5th we passed round 
the north end of Breaksea Spit, and crossed 
- Hervey ’s Bay ; in the night, when the brig ought 
to have been many miles from the shore, we 
found ourselves unexpectedly close to some land; 
but it was not until the day broke that we 
knew the full extent of the danger we had en- 
countered : the land we had seen proved to be 
the round head of Bustard Bay, which,^ as the 
wind was blowing directly upon it, we were 
fortunate in having room to clear. The Dick 
was apprized by us of the danger in time, and 
succeeded in clearing the land by tacking to the 
6. southward. At noon we were passing the small 
