[** In Plates I. and XIII.  Murray’s Islands are laid down according to their situations afterwards ascertained in the Investigator; and the reefs, seen by the Pandora, are placed in their relative positions to those islands.]

A dry sand bank was perceived within the opening, at the distance of four miles; and thither the boats repaired with the remaining officers and people; thirty-nine men having lost their lives in this melancholy disaster.  This opening was ascertained to lie in latitude 11 deg. 24’ and longitude 143 deg. 38’; and is represented as very practicable for ships.

Not being able to save any thing from the wreck, captain Edwards, almost destitute of provisions and water, set sail on Aug. 30, with his squadron of four boats; and steered for the north-east part of Terra Australis.  No reefs, or other dangers, appear to have been encountered in the way to the coast; but in the course northward, along it, some islands and reefs were seen.  From one part of the coast, two canoes with three black men in each, paddled hard after the boats; but though they waved and made many signs, it was not thought prudent to wait for them.  At one of the York Isles, the natives, for some trifling presents, filled a keg of water for captain Edwards; but refused to bring down any more; and, soon afterward, they let fly a shower of arrows amongst the unfortunate sufferers.  Happily no person was wounded; and the aggressors were put to flight, by a volley of musketry.

At the Prince of Wales’ Islands, good water was found; and much alleviated the distress of captain Edwards and his people.  They heard here the howling of wolves, (probably of wild dogs,) and “discovered a morai, or rather heap of bones.  There were amongst them two human skulls, the bones of some large animals, and some turtle bones.  They were heaped together in the form of a grave; and a long paddle, supported at each end by a bifurcated branch of a tree, was laid horizontally along it.  Near to this, there were marks of a fire having been recently made; and the ground about was much footed and worn.” *

[* See “A Voyage round the World in H. M. frigate Pandora,” by George Hamilton, Surgeon; page 123, et seq.]

A few small oysters, a harsh austere fruit, resembling a plum, and a small berry of a similar taste to the plum, were all that could be found for food.

“There is a large sound formed here, to which,” says Mr. Hamilton, “we gave the name of Sandwich’s Sound; and commodious anchorage for shipping in the bay, to which we gave the name of Woy’s Bay, in which there is from five to seven fathoms all round.  Near the centre of the sound is a small, dark-coloured, rocky island.”

Sept. 2.  In the afternoon, captain Edwards passed out to the northward, with his little squadron, from amongst the Prince of Wales’ Islands; and the same evening, by steering westward, cleared all the islands and reefs of Torres’ Strait:  on the 14th he reached Timor.