TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 1802

(Atlas, Plate II.)

On the 5th of January, in the morning, we got under way from the Sound, having a fresh wind from the westward and squally weather.  I steered between Michaelmas Island and the main, in order to explore better that part of the Sound, and ascertain the extent of a shoal running off from the north-west end of the island.  It was found to run out not further than half a mile, at which distance we passed in 5 fathoms water; and at noon, when the east end of Break-sea Island bore S. 30 deg.  W., we had 33 fathoms.

Mount Gardner is a high, conic-shaped hill, apparently of granite, very well delineated in captain Vancouver’s atlas.  It stands upon a projecting cape, round which the shore falls back to the northward, forming a sandy bight where there appeared to be shelter from western winds; indeed, as the coast-line was not distinctly seen round the south-west corner of the bight, it is possible there may be some small inlet in that part.

The south end of an island, called Ile Pelee (Bald Island) by D’Entrecasteaux, opened round the cape of Mount Gardner at N. 69 deg.  E. The French navigator having passed without side of this island, I steered within, through a passage of a short mile wide; and had 17 fathoms for the shoalest water, on a sandy bottom.  Bald Island is of moderate elevation, and barren, as its name implies; it is about two-and-half miles in length, and the south end lies in 34 deg. 55’ south and 118 deg. 29’ east.  It lies off a rocky projection of the mainland, at which terminates a ridge of mountain extending three leagues along the shore from the bight behind Mount Gardner.  There are a number of small peaks upon the top of this ridge which induced me to give it the name Mount Manypeak.

After clearing the passage of Bald Island I found the shore to trend north-eastward, and to be low and sandy; but at the distance of eight leagues inland there was a chain of rugged mountains, of which the eastern and highest peak, called Mount Rugged, lies N. 111/2 deg.  W. from the passage.  At six we came up with a steep rock, one mile from the main, and then hauled to the wind, offshore, for the night.  This lump, which appeared to be of granite, I called Haul-off Rock; it lies in 31 deg. 43’ south and 118 deg. 39’ east, and two leagues to the south-west of a cliffy point which bears the name of Cape Riche in the French chart.

WEDNESDAY 6 JANUARY 1802

At one in the morning, being seven or eight leagues from the coast and in 45 fathoms, we tacked ship towards the land, having a fresh breeze at west-south-west, with fine weather.  Haul-off Rock bore N. 77 deg.  W., three or four miles, at six, and we then bore away along the coast.  Beyond Cape Riche the shore forms a sandy bight, in which is a small island; and on the north side of another cliffy projection, four leagues further, there is a similar falling back of the coast, where it is probable there is also good shelter for boats, if not a small inlet.  At noon a projecting head two miles long, which, from the lumps of rock at the top, I called Cape Knob, was three miles distant; and our observations and bearings of the land were then as under;