June 23.  The ships got under way with the weather, or ebb, tide, a little before noon:  latitude 8 deg. 52’.  At four o’clock, the wind blew strong at south-east, with thick weather, and they anchored in 9 fathoms, blue mud; having made a course of E. N. E. nearly parallel to the coast.  They remained here till the next afternoon; when the Hormuzeer having parted her cable, both ships stood to the north-eastward, along the land, until midnight; at which time they wore to the south-west, in 30 fathoms.  At daylight of the 25th, the depth had decreased to 16 fathoms; and they stretched north-eastward again, with little variation in the soundings.  The latitude, at noon, was 8 deg. 10’; and the ships continued their course upon a wind, keeping as much to the east as possible; and the soundings having increased to 30 fathoms, at dusk, they hove to; but stretched off, at midnight, on coming into 10 fathoms.  In the morning of June 26, they were standing to the eastward; but the wind becoming light at nine o’clock, Mr. Bampton anchored in 9 fathoms, on a muddy bottom, in latitude 7 deg. 55’ south.  The coast of New Guinea was then seen to extend from N. N. W. 1/2 W. to E. N. E.; and the south end of a reef, running off from the western extreme, bore W. by S. 1/2 S., two leagues.

The land here forms a large, unsheltered bay; and an opening nearly at the head, bearing N. 1/2 E., appeared like the entrance of a considerable river; but an officer, who was sent in a boat to sound, saw breakers stretching across.  The soundings were regular, from 9 to 6 fathoms, within a mile or two of the shore; when there was only twelve feet; and the surf which rolled in, made it impossible to land.  The country round the bay is described as level and open, and of an agreeable aspect.

On the return of the boat the ships weighed, and stretched southward until June 27, at noon.  The latitude was then 9 deg. 1’; and a sand bank was seen from the mast head, bearing S. W. 1/2 W. They then wore to the north-eastward; and continued upon that course until the 28th, at dusk; when the land of New Guinea being in sight as far as E. by N., the same, apparently, which had been set from the anchorage on the 26th, they stretched off till two in the morning and then in again, towards the land.

Captain Bampton had followed the coast of New Guinea thus far, in the hope of finding a passage to the northward, between it and Louisiade; but the trending of the land so far to the east, and the difficulty of weathering it, from the current being adverse, obliged him to give up that hope.  A consultation was then held; and a determination made to attempt the passage through the middle of Torres’ Strait.