Page:Narrative of a survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia, Volume 2.djvu/57

 4) 8URYEY OF TIlE INTERTROP!AL s. The next morning, at daylight, Cassini Island .dy la was seen bearing S.b.W.; here we were de. to:in_l for two days by light btling winds and c!m: during the night of the 14th, the wind was light from the westward, and we stood off' and on to the north of Cssini ISland. & At half-past one o'clock a.m., having sounded in thirty-three fathoms, we shoaled.suddenly to fourteen, when the vessel's head was-put to the southward, but the breeze was so very light, that she had hardly steerage way: by .the light of the moon a line of breakers was seen two miles off, under our lee: we had now shoaled to nine fathoms .on a rocky bottom, but' its great .irregularity prevented our dropping the anchor until the last minute, since it would have been to the certain loss of the only one we had. In order, therefore, to save it, if possible, the boat-was lowered, and sent to sound between the vessel and the breakers. Finding we made no progress off the reef. by standing to .the south- ward, we tacked; and, a light breeze springing up from the westward, we drew off the 'bank on a north-west course,. and, in the space of a.mile and a half, deepened the water.gradually to thirty. fathoms. l. ne �next morning,. at- a quarter .past- eight o'clock, the breakers-were again .seen; their

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