No other refreshment than small quantities of fish, crabs, and shell-fish, being procurable here, the ships crews were further reduced in their short allowance.  With respect to fresh water, their situation was still worse:  None could be obtained upon Turn-again Island; and had not captain Bampton ingeniously contrived a still, their state would have been truly deplorable.  He caused a cover, with a hole in the centre, to be fitted by the carpenter upon a large cooking pot; and over the hole he funded an inverted tea kettle, with the spout cut off.  To the stump of the spout, was fitted a part of the tube of a speaking trumpet; and this was lengthened by a gun barrel, which passed through a cask of salt water, serving as a cooler.  From this machine, good fresh water, to the amount of twenty-five to forty gallons per day, was procured; and obtained a preference to that contained in the few casks remaining in the Hormuzeer.

By Aug. 20., when the weather had become more moderate, the boats had sounded amongst the reefs in all directions; but there appeared to be no practicable passage out of this labyrinth, except to the north-west.  In that direction the ships proceeded three hours, in from 6 to 3 fathoms.  Next afternoon, they steered westward, with the flood tide; and again anchored in 3 fathoms, sand and gravel.  The coast of New Guinea then extended from N. by E. 1/4 E. to N. W. 3/4 N.; and the north-west end of a long island, to which the name of Talbot was given, bore N. by E. 1/2 E. nine or ten miles.

Aug. 22, At day-light they followed the long boat to the westward., in soundings from 21/2 to 4 fathoms.  At seven o’clock, the Hormuzeer grounded in 2 fathoms; upon a bank whence Talbot’s Island bore N. N. E. to E. N. E., eight or ten miles, and where the observed latitude was 9 deg. 27’ south.  She remained upon this bank until the morning of the 24th; when Mr. Bampton got into a channel of 13 fathoms, which had been found by the boats, and the ship did not appear to have received other damage, than the loss of the false keel.  The still continued to be kept at work, day and night.

Aug. 27.  Messieurs Bampton and Alt proceeded onward in a track which had been sounded by the boats.  At sunset, they came to, in 4 fathoms; the extremes of New Guinea then bearing N. W. by W. to N. E. by E., three or four leagues.  Some further progress was made next morning; and at noon, when at anchor in 33/4 fathoms, and in latitude 9 deg. 261/2’, an island was discovered bearing S. W. 3/4 S. five or six leagues; which received, eventually, the name of DELIVERANCE ISLAND.

Aug. 29.  The Hormuzeer grounded at low water; from which it appeared that the tide had fallen twelve feet, though then at the neaps.  When the ship floated, they made sail to the westward; and deepened the water to 9 and 12 fathoms.  At noon, it had again shoaled to 6; Deliverance Island bearing S. S. W. 1/2 W. nine or ten miles, and New Guinea N. W. to N. by E. 1/2 E. four or five leagues:  latitude observed 9 deg. 25’ south.  After proceeding a little further westward, they anchored in 5 fathoms.