Page:Narrative of a survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia, Volume 1.djvu/437

 Rh 70° and 80°, Fahr., and the heat was by not means oppressive.

Having sufficiently attained our object in visiting this place, and having also taken the opportunity of completing our wood and water and repairing our boat, and we prepared to sail; and on the 5th, at seven o'clock in the morning, weighed anchor and made for the bar; but the wind was so baffling and unsteady that we had great difficulty in passing over it.

Our course was then directed round Cape Bedford towards Lizard Island. On our way we noticed several shoals. Off the south-west end of the island we saw a great many whales: soon after three o'clock we anchored in a sandy bay, on its south-west side. The wind, during the night and the following day, blew so fresh as to prevent our proceeding; the delay was therefor taken advantage of by our gentlemen to land and examine the island. It may be recollected that is was from the summit of Lizard Island that Captain Cook discovered the openings in the reefs, through which he passed and got to sea; little thinking that, by so doing, he was incurring a greater risk than by remaining within the reefs and steering along the coast. Some of our people walked round the island, where they found a whaler's ton butt cast upon the beach: