Page:A Voyage to Terra Australis Volume 1.djvu/355

From Investigator's Group.]

islands and points, and of Mount Greenly which was visible over the peninsula, to fix their relative positions. At noon, our

At dusk in the evening, having weathered Whidbey's Isles, we tacked near Point Avoid and stretched off to sea; but on coming in with the land at daylight of the 18th, it appeared that nothing was gained, our situation being then in the same bight to the Eastward of the point.

The shore of the bight is sandy and low, and trends from Point Avoid about five miles to the east; after which it takes a more southern direction and becomes higher, and the projecting parts of the waving coast line are cliffy. Behind the shore the land rises to a moderate height, is destitute of vegetation, and of a yellow colour, but whether from the surface being of bare rock, or of sand, could not be distinguished.

In stretching off again, with the wind at east-south-east, we passed near to a small circular reef, lying nine miles from Point Avoid, and six from the nearest shore. Azimuths taken at this time with three compasses on the binnacle, and the ship's head at south (magnetic), gave the mean variation 1° 12′ east; but with the surveying compass alone it was 1° 39′ east, which is what I allowed in the survey. On the preceding day, the two guns upon the quarter deck, nearest to the binnacle, had been struck down into the after hold; from a persuasion that the differences, so often found in the variations and bearings when on different tacks, must arise from some iron placed too near the compasses. Strict search had been repeatedly made