80 
SURVEY OF THE INTERTROPICAL 
. and appeared to be much broken in its character, 
16- and very uninviting to us who had only one 
anchor to depend upon. This bight was named, 
at Mr. Montgomery’s request, in compliment 
to the late Captain Sir George Collier, Bart., 
K.C.B., R.N. During the greater part of the 
night the wind was light, and, by the bearings 
of a fire on the land, we were making but little 
• drift. At sunrise we were near two low islands, 
bearing S. 12° 22' W., and S. 20° W., from 
which very extensive reefs were seen extending 
between the bearings of South and S.W.b.W. 
They were called Cockells Isles. We passed 
round their north end over a bottom of hard 
sand, mixed with shells, stones, and coral ; in 
doing which, we found an irregular depth, but, 
as the water did not shoal to less than twelve 
fathoms, our course was not altered. Soon after 
the sun appeared above the horizon, the dis- 
tant land was again enveloped in mist. At eight 
o’clock we ventured to steer more southerly, but 
continued to sound over a rocky bottom until 
ten o’clock, when the islands bore S.E. ; we 
then steered S.W. through a muddy channel 
with the flood-tide in our favour, towards some 
land that, as the mist partially cleared off, be- 
came visible as far as S.W.|W. ; some islands 
were also seen bearing S.S.E. ; and at noon, 
