Page:Narrative of a survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia, Volume 2.djvu/193

 SURVEY OF THE INTERTROPICAL s At half past four o'clock the mast-head man jn. 7. was cautioned to look out-for breakers, and 'in less than half an hour  he reported some, bearing N.W.b.N. On going to the mast- head I saw n distinctly, for they'were not more' than four miles off, and on 1ooldn round 'the horizon towards the westward, distinctly saw the island of Frederick Houtman's Abml- hos,' which for some time the mast-headman �persisted was' only the shadow of the clouds; but a sinai! hummock being soon arwards de- scri'ed upon the smmit of the largest, continned my conjectures.' The group appeared to con- sist of three islands;all low and of small size. Beyond and around them the sea was smooth, and to the southward another patch of breakere was observed. Preparations were now made to tack off,but I had scarcely reached the deck when the look-out man reported rocks under our lee bow, upon which the .helm was imray. diately put'up; and when the 'vessel's head was round upon the opposite tack, the following bear. were taken:-- i West bland of the Abrolh. eight milee off, between  Be. . fr s off. N. An h. ., v es o. 8.W. desk haoff .. ,.

�