Our course at night was directed by the fires on the shore, and the wind being moderate from the south-westward, it was continued until ten o’clock; after which we stood off and on till daylight [Wednesday 28 July 1802], and then had Indian Head bearing S. 54 deg.  W. one mile and a half.  This head was so named by captain Cook, from the great number of Indians assembled there in 1770.  Mr. Westall’s sketch of it (Atlas, Plate XVIII, View 4.), taken as we steered close along the shore for Sandy Cape, will show that the same sterility prevailed here as in the southern part of the peninsula; and it continued to the northern extremity.

At eleven o’clock we reached Sandy Cape, and the master was sent ahead to sound in a small passage through Break-sea Spit.  The ship followed under easy sail, until we got into 3 fathoms; and the master not making the signal for any deeper water, I tacked and called the boat on board.  The channel appeared to go quite through the Spit, into Hervey’s Bay; but as there were, in many parts, not more than 2 fathoms, it can be passed only by small vessels.  At noon,

Sandy Cape, distant a miles, bore S. 64 deg. to 80 deg.  W.
Indian Head, distant 7 leagues, S. 12 E.

Our observations fixed Sandy Cape in 24 deg. 42’ south, and 153 deg.’ 16’ east, being 3’ north, and 7’ east of the position assigned to it by captain Cook.

[East coast. Hervey’s bay.]

At one o’clock we steered northward, close to the edge of Break-sea Spit, searching for a passage through it into Hervey’s Bay.  There were many small winding channels amongst the breakers, and a larger being perceived at three, the boat was sent to make an examination; in the mean time, the wind having shifted to north-west and become very light, we dropped the stream anchor two miles from the Spit, in 11 fathoms, fine grey sand.  The channel where the boat was sounding, and out of which a tide came of more than one mile an hour, bore W. by N.1/2 N., and Sandy Cape S. 24 deg. to 41 deg.  W., about three leagues.

Soon after sunset the master returned, and reported the channel to be nearly a mile and a half wide, and that it went quite through to the bay; but it did not generally contain more than fourteen feet water, and was therefore impassable for the Investigator.  The bottom of this, and of the former small channel, as also the shoaler banks of the Spit, were of coral, mixed with coral sand.

THURSDAY 29 JULY 1802

At three in the morning, on a breeze springing up at S. W. by S., we stretched south-eastward; and a vessel having been observed over night off Indian Head, this tack was prolonged till seven o’clock; when seeing nothing of her, we stood back for the Spit, and coasted close along its east side as before, in from 10 to 5 fathoms water.  At forty minutes after noon we passed over the tail of the Spit, in