Leaving Cairncross Island, steer North-North-West 1/4 West until Escape River is abreast of you, when look out for reef x: steer within it about North West by North, which will take you inside the covered reef z. Your course then must be round the Albany Islands, and hence North West by North for a, which is a rocky islet that may be seen from abreast the Albany Isles.
The passage through the Possession Isles and Endeavour Strait is not to be recommended for a large ship, on account of the shoal water that extends from Wallis’ Isles towards Shoal Cape; but the route round the north end of Wednesday and Hammond’s Islands is preferable. Upon passing reef a, Wednesday Island will be seen: in steering towards it, avoid standing too close to the rocky islet that is abreast of the strait between it and Horned Hill, as some sunken rocks stretch off it for about a quarter of a mile: steer round the north point of Wednesday Island at half a mile, and then West by South 1/4 South which will carry you to the northward of the rock off Hammond’s Island. Having passed this rock, steer South-West by West; and when abreast of the south-west end of Hammond’s Island, haul towards a reef, to the southward of the course, on which you will see some dry rocks, which you may pass within half a mile of: you will then avoid reef d, which is generally, if not always, covered: the fairway of this channel is seven and eight fathoms deep.
When the summit of Good’s Island bears South-West by West, steer West by South southerly for Booby Island, by which you will avoid Larpent’s bank, and when you have passed it, you are clear of the strait. Hence you may steer West 3/4 South through the night, on which course you will very gradually deepen your water.
...
APPENDIX A. SECTION 9.
TABLE: DIP OF THE MAGNETIC NEEDLE, OBSERVED DURING THE MERMAID’S AND BATHURST’S VOYAGES UPON THE COAST OF AUSTRALIA.
COLUMN 1: DATE.
COLUMN 2: PLACE.
COLUMN 3: LATITUDE SOUTH IN DEGREES MINUTES SECONDS.
COLUMN 4: LONGITUDE EAST IN DEGREES MINUTES SECONDS.
COLUMN 5: DIP OF THE NEEDLE IN DEGREES MINUTES
SECONDS.
COLUMN 6: NORTH OR SOUTH END.
COLUMN 7: VARIATION IN DEGREES MINUTES SECONDS.
COLUMN 8: REMARKS.
1817. October 9, November 28 : Port Jackson, East Coast : 33 51 : 151 15 : 62 1 30 : South : 8 42 East : Observed on shore, on the north side of Sydney Cove.
1819. January : Hobart Town, Van Diemen’s Land : 42 54 : 147 27 : 70 7 00 : South : 9 00 East : Observed on shore.
June 16 : Cleveland Bay, East Coast : 19 10 : 146 56 : 44 6 40 : South : 5 12 1/2 East : Two observations made at the extremity of the cape.
July : Endeavour River, East Coast : 15 27 : 145 11 : 38 00 00 : South : 5 27 East : Taken at the tent.
1818. April : Goulburn Island, North Coast : 11 38 : 133 20 : 27 32 30 : South : 2 0 East : Taken on Bottle Rock, in South-west Bay.