At six o’clock we had some larger, flat islands to windward, and in the east-south-east was one much higher and of greater extent, which proved to be the I. du Milieu (Middle Island) of D’Entrecasteaux.  Betwixt this island and his Cap Aride on the main there were many small isles and apparently passages; and we therefore bore away in the hope of finding anchorage against the approaching night.  Many patches of breakers were passed; and seeing a small bay in the north side of Middle Island, we stood in for it under shortened sail, and came to an anchor in 7 fathoms, sandy bottom, off the first of three small beaches.  The island sheltered us from east-north-east, round by the south to west-by-north; and to the northward there was, besides the main land, a number of reefs and small isles, of which the nearest and largest was a quarter of a mile distant, as Middle Island was on the other side.  The master was immediately sent to examine the passage through to the eastward, that we might know whether there were a possibility of escape in case the anchor should not hold; for the wind blew fresh at west-south-west, and threw some swell into the bay; he found 3 fathoms in the shallow part of the opening.

FRIDAY 15 JANUARY 1802

The botanists landed in the morning upon Middle Island; for I had determined to stop a day or two, as well for their accommodation as to improve my chart of the archipelago.  I went to the northern island, which is one mile long and near half a mile in breadth, and found it to be covered with tufts of wiry grass intermixed with a few shrubs.  Some of the little, blue penguins, like those of Bass Strait, harboured under the bushes; and amongst the grass and upon the shores were a number of the bernacle geese, of which we killed nine, mostly with sticks; and sixteen more were procured in the course of the day.

After taking bearings from the uppermost of the small elevations of GOOSE ISLAND, as it was now named, I ascended the high north-western hill of Middle Island, which afforded a more extensive view.  The furthest visible part of the main land was a projecting cape, with a broad-topped hill upon it bearing N. 58 deg.  E., six or seven leagues.  This projection not having been seen by D’Entrecasteaux, was named after the late admiral Sir Thomas Pasley, under whom I had the honour of entering the naval service.  The shore betwixt Cape Pasley and Cape Arid is low and sandy, and falls back in a large bight, nearly similar to what is formed on the west side of Cape Arid.  Behind that cape was a high bank of sand, which stretched from one bight nearly to the other, and had the appearance of having been the sea shore not very long since.

(Atlas, Plate XVII.  View 5.*)

[* This view was taken in the following year, at five leagues distant from Middle Island, but it shows the form of the mount, and of the granitic ridge.]