We had a light breeze at E. by N., and steered westward along the rocky shore, at the distance of two or three miles, till five in the evening; when the breeze having shifted to S. W., we tacked and came to an anchor in 6 fathoms, mud and shells.  The land was then distant three miles, and extended from N. 61 deg.  E. to a point with a clump of high trees on it, which appeared to be the south-west extremity of the northern land and bore N. 84 deg.  W. Whether the space between it and the main near Allen’s Isle were the entrance of an inlet, or merely a separation of the two lands, could not be distinguished; but the tide set W. by S., into the opening, and there was a low island and many rocks in it.  From an amplitude at this anchorage, the variation was 3 deg. 16’ east, corrected to the meridian, nearly the same as at Allen’s Isle, five leagues to the south; and a full degree less than in the Investigator’s Road.

THURSDAY 2 DECEMBER 1802

At five next morning we steered for the opening, with light, variable winds.  On each side of the low island and rocks there seemed to be passages leading into a large spread of water, like the sea; and our course was directed for the northernmost, until the water shoaled to 21/2 fathoms and we tacked to the southward.  The south-west point of the northern land then bore N. 74 deg.  W. four miles, and the north end of Allen’s Isle was seen from the mast head, bearing S. 3 deg.  W. five leagues; but that part of the opening between them, not occupied by the main land, seemed to be so choaked with rocks that there was little prospect of a passage for the Investigator.  This being the case, and the wind becoming unfavourable to the search, we steered back eastward, along the shore; and at eight in the evening, anchored near the furthest part yet seen in that direction, in 61/2 fathoms sand and shells.

FRIDAY 3 DECEMBER 1802

At daylight, the piece of hilly land before judged to be an island, and which still appeared so, bore N. 86 deg. to 28 deg.  W., two or three miles, with some nearer rocks lying in front; the northern land extended from behind it to N. 32 deg.  E., and we followed its course at the distance of five, and from that to two miles off shore.  At noon we approached the eastern extremity, and saw a small island two leagues further out, one of three laid down in the old chart near Cape Van Diemen; it is thickly covered with wood, principally of that softish, white kind, whence it obtained the name of Isle Pisonia.  Another and a larger island afterwards opened from the cape; but this could not be one of the three, for it lies so close, that Tasman, or whoever discovered these parts, would scarcely have observed the separation; and in fact, the other two isles presently came in sight to the southward, nearly in the situation assigned to them.  The wind being unfavourable to doubling the cape, we bore away for the two islands; and soon after four o’clock, anchored on the south-east side of the outermost, in 61/2 fathoms, good holding ground.