Page:A Voyage to Terra Australis Volume 1.djvu/63

North Coast: Torres' Strait.]

The plumage of the body was green; the head, bill, and legs, red; the tail, and under sides of the wings, yellow. No huts, plantations, or other signs of fixed inhabitants were seen; nor was there any fresh water.

On the return of the boat, the vessels weighed; and the wind being at W.S.W., they worked through, between Dungeness and Warriors Islands, with the flood tide. They then anchored in 11 fathoms; the first Island bearing S.S.E. to S ½ W. three leagues, and the second E. by S. ½ S.

July 28. Having a fresh breeze at E.S.E., the long boat was sent a-head, and the ships followed, to the westward. They passed Turtle-backed Island, the Cap, and the Brothers, on one side, and Nichols' Key on the other: the soundings gradually shoaling from 12 to 7 fathoms. Upon the Cap, Mr. Bampton "saw a volcano burning with great violence," which induced him to give it the name of Fire Island; not knowing that it had before been named. At noon, the Brothers, with the Cap and Turtle-backed Island behind, bore S.E. by S. to S ½ E. four miles; and Mount Cornwallis N. 16° W.

The water continued to shoal; and at three p.m., the ships anchored in 5 fathoms, sand, shells, and stones; the Brothers bearing E. by S. ¼ S. five leagues, and Mount Cornwallis N. by E. ¼ E. There were two large islands in sight in the S.S.W. ¼ W. to S.W. ¼ S, at the distance of eight or ten leagues; and many nearer reefs in the same direction.

July 29. The long boat was sent to sound in the north-west; and when the ebb tide slacked, the ships followed: wind at E.S.E. The soundings increased from 5 to 7 fathoms; and afterwards varied between these depths, until noon; when the latitude observed was 9° 42′ south. The Brothers then bore S. 64° E.; Mount Cornwallis N. 38° E; and a long, low island (Turn-again, of Bligh,) N. 35° to