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to eleven at night, the tide ran half a mile an hour to the S.W., and N.E. during the remainder of the twenty-four hours; the first, which seemed to be the flood, was only three hours after the moon, above six hours earlier than in the Investigator's Road; but the time of high water by the shore might be very different: no greater rise than five feet was perceivable by the lead line.

In the morning of the 5th, we quitted Bountiful Island to resume our examination at Cape Van Diemen; and the weather being rainy, with thunder and lightning, and the wind fresh at N.N.E., we passed round the smaller island, two miles to the south-west, before hauling to the northward. A ten o'clock, Cape Van Diemen was distant three miles, and we tacked to the east; and from that time till evening, continued to work up between the cape and a shoal lying two leagues from it to the E.S.E. This shoal is a narrow ridge of sand, over which we had passed in going to Bountiful Island; but there were now breakers upon a more southern part. It seems to be formed by different sets of tide amongst the islands, and to be steep to; for in passing over, the soundings had been 13, 4, 5, 7, 11 fathoms, almost as quick as the lead could be heaved. At dusk the wind had gone down, and the anchor was dropped in 6 fathoms, sand and shells, in the following situation. That part of Cape Van Diemen above set, is in latitude 16° 32′ south, and longitude 139° 49½′ east.

The tide here set N.N.E. and S.S.W., between the island close to the cape and Isle Pisonia; and at daylight we steered for the middle of the opening. On seeing breakers a-head, the master was sent in the whale boat to sound, and we kept more westward, after him. There were natives upon the island nearest to the land,