GIDLEY ISLAND, and two others to the eastward, extend in a north and south direction; they are high and rocky.  The west shore of Gidley Island appeared to be fronted by a continuous reef, on which some patches of dry rocks were observed.  Gidley Island is separated from Legendre Island by a very shoal and rocky strait, apparently impassable for anything larger than boats.  It has several small sandy islets scattered about it, and at low water the greater part is dry.  There is doubtless a deep passage through, but it must be intricate and dangerous, and only to be attempted in a case of the most pressing emergency.  On the island to the southward, are two sandy bays.  The land to the southward is doubtless a part of the main:  and is, like the other islands, high and rocky.  It forms the eastern shore of MERMAID’s STRAIT, which is an excellent port, affording safe and secure anchorage at all seasons.

The islands on the western side of the strait, are LEWIS and MALUS.  The north-east point of the latter island, COURTENAY HEAD, is, without doubt, Captain Dampier’s Bluff Head.  It is a very remarkable point; its summit is in 20 degrees 29 minutes 5 seconds South, and 116 degrees 36 minutes 35 seconds East.  On its west side is a sandy bay with good anchorage in four and five fathoms.  Malus Island is separated from Lewis Island by a strait a mile wide; it is probably deep.

The north-east point of LEWIS ISLAND is a narrow projecting tongue of land, terminating in a high rocky lump; and to the southward of it, are two high rocky islets of similar appearance.  There is also another, but of smaller size, off the south-east point of Malus Island.  In the centre of Lewis Island there is a valley, that stretches across to the opposite sides of the island, forming a bay on either side.

To the south of Lewis Island is a group of islands, which, from the circumstance of our communicating with the natives, was called INTERCOURSE ISLANDS.  They are all small.  The largest has a remarkable summit upon it, in latitude 20 degrees 37 minutes 50 seconds, and longitude 116 degrees 36 minutes 45 seconds:  it is from this Island that the natives drove us, and would not allow us to land.* The channel between them and Lewis Island is more than a mile wide, and is seven and eight fathoms deep.

(Footnote.  Vide volume 1.)

ENDERBY ISLAND is separated from Lewis Island by a channel one mile and a half wide, apparently clear and free from danger.  Its south-west point is ROCKY HEAD, the summit of which was found to be in latitude 20 degrees 35 minutes 25 seconds, and longitude 116 degrees 23 minutes 5 seconds.  To the north is GOODWYN ISLAND; and further north, and West-North-West from Malus Island, from which it is separated by a strait two miles and a half wide, is ROSEMARY ISLAND, which, when viewed from the North-North-East or South-South-West, has three hummocks bearing from each other West by North and East by South.  The centre hummock is