Our situation was in the outer part of a bay, the southern head of which bore South 22 degrees East, and which, from the loss and perplexity we met with in it, was afterwards called Disaster Bay, and its south extreme, off which is a small rocky island, was named Repulse Point.

During the afternoon we had another instance of mirage which proved useful so far that it indicated to us the trend of the land to the south-eastward, in which direction nothing had previously been seen; it appeared to be very low and level, and similar to the character of the coast on the southward of Cape Leveque.  At sunset when the haze cleared off and the appearance of the land gradually sank below the horizon we were instantly relieved from the oppressive heat we had experienced during the day, for the thermometer had indicated a temperature of 91 degrees and, when exposed to the influence of the sun, rose to 120 degrees.

Three natives were noticed as we passed along the shore; they were walking upon a sandy beach abreast of us but very soon disappeared among the trees and bushes which here grow close down to the waterside; they were armed with spears and appeared to be watching our movements; for they moved along in the direction of our course and did not afterwards make their appearance during the evening.

February 14.

The next morning whilst the ebb-tide lasted we had a light breeze but, at noon, as the weather was calm and the brig could not be got underweigh, either with safety or utility, the boats were despatched in different directions to improve our knowledge of the place.

At low water a considerable sandbank was exposed to our view, that had not previously been seen; it fronts the bay and is dry at low tide for some extent, it is also shoal some distance to the northward, as our boat had only four feet in passing over it.  In the afternoon, as there was every appearance of fine weather and no likelihood of a breeze, Mr. Baskerville and Mr. Cunningham set off in a boat to visit Repulse Point, in order to make what observations they could upon the further trend of the land; but no sooner had they left the vessel than a breeze sprung up and freshened to a gale in which our cable parted; and as there was no chance of dropping another anchor with a prospect of recovering it, we were obliged to return to our former anchorage in Goodenough Bay; but, owing to the tide being contrary, the brig did not reach it until nearly sunset.  Our alarm and anxieties were now raised to a great pitch for the safety of Mr. Baskerville and his companions:  signals of recall had been hoisted and several guns fired before the cable parted, but the boat was too far off to notice either:  as soon as it was dark signal guns were fired and port fires burnt every ten minutes to guide its return.