q, a reef, on which are two low wooded isles, apparently connected with a shoal extending from Point Lookout along the shore to the West-North-West; the isles are seven miles North 64 degrees West from Point Lookout.

COLES ISLANDS consist of four small bushy islets from a quarter to half a mile in extent; they are from four to six miles North-East from Point Murdoch.  This group appeared to be merely the several dry parts of the shoal that extends from Point Lookout to Noble Island; between them and the latter island, are two patches of dry sandy keys, but it is probable that they may be covered by the tide.  The continuation of the shoal between the islands and Point Lookout was not clearly ascertained.

At POINT MURDOCH, which has a peaked hill at its extremity, the hills again approach the coast; at Cape Bowen they project into the sea, and separate two bays, in each of which there is possibly a rivulet; that to the eastward of the cape trends in and forms a deep bight.  On the western side of the hills of Cape Bowen there is a track of low land, separating them from another rocky range.  The summit of the hill at Point Murdoch is in latitude 14 degrees 40 minutes, and longitude 144 degrees 46 minutes.

HOWICK’S GROUP consists of ten or eleven islands, of which Number 1, remarkable for a hillock at its south-east end, is in latitude 14 degrees 32 minutes 40 seconds, and longitude 144 degrees 55 minutes 20 seconds; it is nearly three miles long; the rest are all less than half a mile in extent, excepting the westernmost, Number 6, which is nearly a mile and a half in diameter.

The passage between 2 and 3 is safe, and has seven and eight fathoms:  the north-west side of 3 is of rocky approach, but the opposite side of the strait is bold to; the anchorage is tolerably good.  The Mermaid drove, but it was not considered to be caused by the nature of the bottom, which is of soft sand, and free from rocks.

The channel between 1 and 2 appeared to be very rocky, and shoal:  between 1 and the reef r there is probably a clear channel of about a mile wide:  the north-east end of 1 has a reef which extends off it for half a mile.

(Footnote.  Many shoals, partly dry, occupy the space to the northward and eastward of Howick’s Group.  Roe manuscript.)

All the islands are low and wooded, and surrounded by a coral reef of small extent.

4 has a small islet off its west end.

5, 8, and 9 did not appear to have any reefs projecting from them. 7 is probably two islands, with a reef extending for half a mile on its western side. 6 is of larger size than the generality of the low islands hereabout, Number 1 excepted:  its centre is in latitude 14 degrees 28 minutes, and longitude 144 degrees 45 minutes.  The position of Number 10 was not correctly ascertained.

The peak of CAPE BOWEN is in latitude 14 degrees 34 minutes, and longitude 144 degrees 35 minutes 40 seconds.