[* This appears to be the first mention made of the black swan:  the river was named Black-Swan River.]

Having clearly ascertained the latitude (of the ships at anchor, most probably,) to be 31 deg. 43’ south, and discovered a reef four geographic miles in length, and two miles from the shore, they sailed from thence on Jan. 13.  The wind was from the southward; and whilst the ships steered N. by W., parallel to the coast, the boats ran along within them, to examine it more closely.  On the 15th, the people from the boats reported that they had seen neither men nor animals, and very few trees; but had met with a reef near the shore, in 30 deg. 17’; and many shoals, both under and above water.

Fires upon the land were seen from all the ships in the night of Jan. 16; and next day, a boat was sent with armed people; but they returned with nothing, except some sea-mews which had been caught upon the islands and shoals lying along the coast.  On the 18th, the ships were in latitude 30 deg. 30’, and found the variation to be 9 deg. 21’ west; and the 20th, some small islands were seen, and shrubs observed on the main land.  On the 23rd, they were near a steep head, in 28 deg. 8’, and sent a boat to the shore; but the high surf prevented landing.  People were perceived walking on the downs, but at too great a distance to distinguish more than that they were of the common stature, black, and naked.* The boat got on shore soon afterward, when some brackish water was found; and having landed again on the 27th, the people saw some huts, as also the footsteps of men, and some birds; but there was no other vegetation than small shrubs.  Some very indifferent water was the sole useful thing met with, and it was too far off for any to be taken on board.

[* It was near this place that captain Pelsert put the two Dutch conspirators on shore in 1629.  Vlaming appears to have passed within Houtman’s Abrolhos without seeing them.]

Jan. 30.  The boats were again sent on shore, and discovered two inlets, of which the southernmost, in latitude 26 deg. 16’, was three miles in width.  On Feb. 2, they found two other openings, very deep, one of which ran up northward, and the other to the east, far inland.  They went eleven leagues up the first of these, and found that it had another communication with the sea, to the N. N. W.* On the 3rd, a boat brought the above account; and also, that the chief mate of the Geelvink had found a plate of tin, with an inscription commemorating the arrival and departure of Dirk Hartog. (See the inscription under the article Hartog, preceding.) This Road of Dirk Hartog’s Bay, where the plate had been set up, is in 25 deg. 24’; and the west variation was 8 deg. 34’.

[* These two openings, which in the original are called rivers, were nothing more than the entrance into Shark’s Bay.  A small island, lying a little within the entrance, probably made it be taken for two openings.]