The breakers lie five or six miles from the land, and did not appear to have any connection with it, nor with two other sets of small reefs which came in sight to the east and east-south-east, soon afterward.  At two o’clock our situation was betwixt these last reefs.  The southernmost patches are two or three miles in length, and there are large rocks upon them, standing above water; the northern patches extend eight miles along the coast, from which they are distant three miles, and on the eastern parts there are also some rocks above water, but there were none upon the western reef first seen.  It may be doubted whether the western reef were known to Nuyts, but there can be no doubt concerning these last; and I call the whole NUYTS’ REEFS.

The aspect of the shore to the northward was nearly the same as that seen the preceding afternoon, but behind the second reefs it began to assume a more rocky appearance.  A high cliffy cape is formed a little further eastward; it has a pyramidal rock near it, and the coast there takes a direction somewhat on the north side of east.  This remarkable projection, being within a few leagues of the furthest part of the main coast discovered by the Dutch, I have called CAPE NUYTS:  its latitude is 32 deg. 2’ south, and longitude 132 deg. 18’ east.

After clearing Nuyts’ Reefs we steered east-north-east, past the cape, to look for anchorage in two bights, but there were rocks in both, and they were open to the southward.  Beyond them was a low, cliffy point, lying E. 3 deg.  N. seven or eight miles from Cape Nuyts; and seeing a bay behind it which promised shelter from south-west and south winds, we hauled round the point at half-past five.  The water shoaled gradually from 11 to 3 fathoms, on which I hove the sails aback and sent the master ahead to sound; and as he did not make the signal for deeper water, as we were already in tolerable shelter, the anchor was dropped in 31/4 fathoms, sandy bottom.  We had then the following bearings: 

Low cliffy point, distant 2 or 3 miles S. 35 deg.  E. Head of the bay, distant 1 1/2 miles, S. 58 W. Cliffs, appearing like an island, dist. 4 leagues, N. 77 E. Furthest land visible from the masthead E. S. E.

Between the first and the last of these bearings we were exposed to the sea, but sheltered at all other points of the compass.

Being arrived at the extremity of that part of the south coast of Terra Australis which had been previously explored, it may be useful, before entering on the unknown part, to compare my examination of it with what was contained in former charts.  It will thence appear that the employment of fifteen days in running along the coast, more than would probably have been required had I kept at a distance, was not without some advantage to geography and navigation.

(Atlas, Plate II.)