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Towards Torres' Strait.]

last reefs were out of sight in the evening of Oct. 21, and our course was continued for Torres' Strait; but the barrier was yet at too little distance, not to cause apprehension of straggling reefs; and I thought it too hazardous to run in the night, during this passage.

At noon of the 22d, our latitude was 16° 39′, longitude 148° 43′, and there was no bottom at 150 fathoms; nor was any thing unusual to be seen, unless it were tropic and man-of-war birds, and gannets. The Bâture de Diane of Mons. de Bougainville should lie about thirty-eight leagues to the N.E. by E., and his western reefs about twenty-eight leagues to the N.N.W. ½ W., of this situation; and to them, or perhaps some nearer banks, the birds might probably belong. A piece of land is marked to the south