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north end of Bosanquet's Island, occupied me the next day; astronomical observations were also taken; and it appeared that the cliffy east end of Bosanquet's Island, a mile north of the anchorage, was in 11° 57⅓′ south, and 136° 19′ east. According to the swinging of the ship in the evenings, the flood tide ceased to run at eight hours and a half after the moon passed the upper meridian, whereas in the mornings it ceased seven hours and a half after the moon passed below; whether the same difference took place in the times of high water by the shore, I cannot tell; but if the mean of the morning's and evening's tides be taken as the time of high water, it will follow eight hours after the moon, the same nearly as in Malay Road.

In the morning of the 27th, we steered south-westward between Inglis' Island and the main, to explore the opening on the west side of Mallison's Island. The tide, which was in our favour, so stirred up the soft mud, that we did not perceive a shoal until from 4½, the depth diminished to 2¼ fathoms, and the ship stuck fast. This was at less than a mile from the north-east head of Inglis' Island, yet the deepest water lay within; and towards noon, by carrying out a stream anchor, we got there into 10 fathoms, without having suffered any apparent injury. On the approach of low water next morning, we resumed our course, keeping nearly midway between the main coast and the island, with soundings from 13 to 7 fathoms, muddy ground; the shores are above two miles asunder, but the reefs from each side occupy more than half of the open space. On clearing the south end of the passage, the boat a-head made signal for 4 fathoms, and we tacked, but afterwards followed till noon; heavy rain then came on, and the wind dying away, an anchor was dropped in 6 fathoms.

There was a rippling not far from the ship, and the master found it to be on a narrow shoal extending north and south, which seems to have been formed in the eddy of the tides. We got under way, on a breeze from N.W. bringing finer weather; and at two o'clock passed over the shoal with soundings twice in 3 fathoms,