At noon, the south-eastern bluff of Cape Three-points bore S. 64 deg.  W., seven or eight miles, and was found to lie in 33 deg. 321/2’ south and 151 deg. 231/2’ east.  In steering northward along the coast, at from six to two miles distance, we passed two rocky islets lying under the high shore; and at sunset, Coal Island, in the entrance of Port Hunter, bore N. 9 deg.  W., five or six miles.  This port was discovered in 1797 by the late captain John Shortland, and lies in 32 deg. 56’ south, longitude 151 deg. 43’ east.

We passed Port Stephens a little before midnight; and the breeze being fresh at W. by S., the Lady Nelson was left astern, and we lay to for an hour next morning [Friday 23 July 1802], to wait her coming up.  The land was then scarcely visible, but a north course brought us in with the Three Brothers (Atlas Plate IX.); and at four in the afternoon, they bore from S. 56 deg. to 65 deg.  W., the nearest land being a low, but steep point, distant four or five miles in the first direction.  The Three Brothers lie from one to five miles behind the shore, at the eastern extremity of a range of high land, coming out of the interior country.  The northernmost hill is the broadest, most elevated, and nearest to the water side; and being visible fifty miles from a ship’s deck, is an excellent landmark for vessels passing along the coast:  its latitude is 31 deg. 43’ south, and longitude 152 deg. 45’ east.

To the northward of the Three Brothers there is four leagues of low. and mostly sandy shore; and after passing it, we came up with a projection, whose top is composed of small, irregular-shaped hummocks, the northernmost of them being a rocky lump of a sugar-loaf form; further on, the land falls back into a shallow bight, with rocks in it standing above water.  When abreast of the projection, which was called Tacking Point, the night was closing in, and we stood off shore, intending to make the same part next morning; for some of this coast had been passed in the dark by captain Cook, and might therefore contain openings.

SATURDAY 24 JULY 1802

At daybreak of the 24th, Tacking Point was distant three miles, and the breeze fresh at S. W. by W. with fine weather.  Our little consort being out of sight, we stood an hour to the southward; and not seeing her in that direction, bore away along the coast until noon, when our situation was as under: 

Latitude observed 30 deg. 581/4’
Longitude by time-keepers 153 61/2
Northern Brother, dist. 48 miles, bore S. 23 W.
Smoky Cape, distant 3 or 4 miles, N. 41 deg. to 30 W.
Northern extreme of the land, N. 5 W.