During the remainder of the night we stood off and on and experienced a current setting in the direction of North 52 degrees West one mile per hour.  At eight o’clock the next morning (18th) Adele Island was seen; and in the afternoon we passed at a mile and a half from the western side of the reef which surrounds it.  This island is low and sandy and covered with small bushes; it is about two or three miles in length; a dry sand extends for five miles from its south end, and as far as one mile from its north-west point; but the covered part of the reef is more extensive, and appeared rocky.  At the distance of three miles and a half, in a north-west direction from its north end, are two dry sandbanks which are probably covered at high-water.  Light-coloured water extended for three miles to the westward and for fourteen miles to the north-west; but the water is probably deep enough over it for any vessel to pass:  we steered over the tail within the coloured water, but had no bottom with forty-five fathoms.  In many parts near the island the rocks must be very little below the surface of the water, for the sea occasionally broke upon them.

We then steered to the East and East-North-East and at night made short trips on either tack.  The weather was extremely sultry during the afternoon, the thermometer being at 89 degrees, and when exposed to the sun the mercury rose to 125 degrees.  Towards sunset large flights of boobies, terns, and other sea-birds passed by, flying towards the islands.  One or two stopped to notice us and flew round the brig several times.

February 19.

The night was fine with light south-west winds; but we had lightning in the North-East, from which quarter at daylight the weather clouded in; and, from the increasing dampness of the atmosphere, indicated rain.

At noon we were in 15 degrees 12 minutes 15 seconds South and 7 minutes 1 second east of the anchorage in Cygnet Bay.  The wind was from the southward with dull cloudy weather.  Large flights of birds were about the vessel, preying upon small fish swimming among the seaweed, of which we passed a great quantity.  As the evening approached the weather clouded in and threatened us with another squall from the eastward.  The thermometer stood at 88 degrees, and the barometer at 29.81 inches:  half an hour before sunset the clouds, which had collected in the eastern horizon, began to thicken and approach us with loud thunder and vivid lightning:  all the sails, except the topsails which were lowered, were furled just in time to avoid any bad effects from the squall, which commenced with a strong gust from East-South-East and East; it lasted about an hour, during the latter part of which we had very heavy rain.  At eight o’clock the wind fell to a calm and was afterwards baffling and light from north to east and south-east.

February 20.