SATURDAY 13 MARCH 1802

Nothing of particular interest having presented itself to detain us at the head of the gulph, we got under way in the morning of the 13th, having a light breeze from the north-westward.  The western shore had been followed in going up, and for that reason I proposed to keep close to the east side in returning; but before eight o’clock the water shoaled suddenly from 4 to 2 fathoms, and the ship hung upon a mud bank covered with grass, two or three miles from the shore.  A kedge anchor was carried out astern; and in half an hour we again made sail downward, in soundings from 5 to 10 fathoms near the edge of the shoal.

At noon, latitude observed to the N. and S. 32 deg. 57’ 6”
Mount Brown bore N. 9 30 E.
Pt.  Lowly south extreme dist. 7 miles, S. 79 0 W.

The depth was then 7 fathoms; but there were banks ahead, extending to a great distance from the eastern shore, and in steering westward to pass round them, we had 31/2 fathoms for the least water.  It afterwards deepened to 7, and we again steered southward, but were not able to get near the land; on the contrary, the shallow water forced us further off as we proceeded.  The wind was at west-southwest in the evening; and this not permitting us to lie along the edge of the bank, we came to an anchor in 7 fathoms, soft bottom; being then above four leagues from the eastern low shore, although there was only 31/2 fathoms at less than a mile nearer in.

Mount Brown bore N. 21 deg.  E.
Barn Hill, S. 43 E.
Mount Young, N. 66 W.

SUNDAY 14 MARCH 1802

In the morning we followed the line of the great eastern shoal, and its direction permitted us to approach nearer to the land, with soundings between 8 and 4 fathoms.  A little before noon, after running half an hour in less than 4 fathoms and getting within about six miles of the land, we were obliged to tack and stretch off, the wind having veered to the south-west.  Our situation twenty minutes afterward, was in

Latitude, observed to the north and south, 33 deg. 23’ 49”
Longitude by time keepers, 137 47
Mount Young bore N. 38 W.
Middle Mount, west side of the gulph, N. 66 W.
Barn Hill, on the east side, S. 60 E.

We beat to windward all the afternoon, and at sunset anchored in 31/2 fathoms near the edge of the great bank and seven or eight miles from the land.  The shore was low and sandy, but there was a ridge of hills behind it nearly similar to that on the west side of the gulph.  Barn Hill lies at the back of this ridge and about twelve miles from the water; and towards the southern end of the ridge was another hill, also some distance inland, of which I shall have occasion to speak hereafter.  A middle mount on the west side of the gulph, higher and further back than the one before set, was in sight from this anchorage; and the bearings taken were these: