All the islands of this group are low and sandy, excepting DEPUCH, which is high, and of a very peculiar formation; it is described in the first volume.

We did not land upon it, but on its north-east side there appeared to be a bay, on which the French found a stream of water.

Between DEPUCH ISLAND and CAPE LAMBERT the coast is very shoal.  Towards the latter the hills approach the sea, and the bottom is deeper.  BEZOUT ISLAND is connected to the cape by a reef, on which there are several dry rocks; we passed close round its north-east edge, and had eleven fathoms.

To the westward of Cape Lambert, in latitude 20 degrees 24 minutes 30 seconds, and longitude 117 degrees 7 minutes, there are two deep openings, which appeared to be merely bays, but their bottom was not distinctly seen.  On the top of the hill of the projecting point that separates them, there are three remarkable rocky summits.  The next point has several round-backed hills upon it; it is the east head of NICKOL’S BAY, into which there may possibly fall one or more streams; its shores are low, and appeared to be lined with mangroves.  Nickol’s Bay affords good anchorage in six and seven fathoms, and is only exposed to the North-East.  It is protected from westerly winds by high land:  it is, however, rather exposed to the South-West winds, from the little elevation of the land in that direction; but if a vessel should drive, the passage between Bezout and Delambre Island is clear and, as far as we know, free from danger.

DELAMBRE ISLAND has very extensive reefs stretching to the northward, and also to the eastward, but on its western side did not appear to extend for more than half a mile:  the hill at the north end of the island is in latitude 20 degrees 23 minutes 35 seconds, and longitude 117 degrees 1 minute 25 seconds; the passage between it and the reef off HAUY ISLAND, is about two miles and a half wide, and from nine to ten fathoms deep.  The edge of the reef off the latter island is not well defined, for we passed several straggling rocks.

LEGENDRE ISLAND is the northernmost of Dampier’s Archipelago:  it is nine miles long, and from half to one and a half mile broad:  near its south-east end, which is connected to HAUY ISLAND, there are several rocky islets, and near its extremity it has three remarkable hillocks; its North-West point is in latitude 20 degrees 18 minutes 45 seconds, and longitude 116 degrees 46 minutes; its north-east coast and north-west extremity are of bold approach:  the latter has a reef that fronts its shores, extending for about a quarter of a mile into the sea; the ground under its lee is rocky, and not safe to anchor near.  Our cable hooked a rock, fortunately however it was rotten, and broke away, so that the cable, being a chain was not damaged.

The islands of DAMPIER’S ARCHIPELAGO, are of high rocky character, and very different from either the coast or the islands in their vicinity.  It consists of about twenty islands, besides smaller ones, scattered over a space of forty miles in extent:  Delambre is the easternmost island, and a small sandy island to the South-West of Enderby Island is the westernmost.