248 
PORTER'S JOURNAL, 
Charles 9 and James 9 , and buried it in a bottle at the back of the 
sand beach, at the foot of a post, on which was nailed a board? 
with the following inscription, S. X. Anno Dom. 1813. 
And now having accomplished the main object for which I had 
come to this island, I determined to cruize a few days to wind¬ 
ward of it, with the hopes of falling in with him there; and I was 
the more strongly induced to do this, as I had for some time past; 
been extremely harassed by being so much among those islands, 
our knowledge of which was as yet by no means perfect, and the 
rapid and irregular currents kept me in a constant state of anxiety, 
from which I was glad to be relieved for a short time. A fresh 
breeze springing up from the southward, which caused us to 
drift off the bank, I weighed the anchor, and stood on a wind to the 
eastward, keeping the island in sight from the deck, bearing west. 
Here I remained until the 13th September, when I ran down for 
Charles 9 Island, looking into Hood’s Island, and searching for 
M^Gowen’s Reef in my route, and can now with safety declare, 
that IVLGowen’s Reef does not exist but in the chart of captain 
Colnet. 
Off the N.W. part of Hood’s Island, about two and a half miles 
from the shore, is a reef of some extent. It should be avoided. 
This is the only danger I could discover, and that lies so close 
in, and breaks with so much violence, that it may at all times be 
discovered in time to shun it. This, however, is not M‘Gowen’s 
Reef, which by Colnet’s chart lies nearly half way between Hood’s 
and Barrington Islands, and in the direct passage of vessels run¬ 
ning down between Hood’s and Chatham for Charles’ Island ; 
whereas the one I speak of lies close under Hood’s Island, and is 
joined to it by other rocks. 
I looked into Charles’ Island, and stood down for Cape Essex, 
intending to cruize for a few days off the south part of Albemarle, 
and at midnight of the 14th, hove to, the southern part of Albe» 
marie bearing north, distant 9 or 10 leagues. At day-light in the 
morning, the men at the mast-head descried a strange sail to the 
southward. On going aloft with my glass, I could perceive that 
she was a ship, and under very easy sail, apparently lying to ; and 
as she was directly to windward of us, I did not wish to alarm them 
