The mean dip of the south end of the needle, observed at the tents, was 36 deg. 28’.

Variation of the theodolite, 2 deg. 20’ E.

On board the ship, at anchor off the south-west side of the inner island at the entrance, the variation from three compasses, with the head N. W. by W., was 2 deg. 26’; by the surveying compass alone, 2 deg. 46’ east, and this, which I consider to be the best, would be, corrected, 1 deg. 14’ E.

At my different stations on shore, the variation seemed to be between 2 deg. and 2 deg. 20’ east; except on the north-east end of the outer island in the entrance, where it appeared to be no more than 1 deg. 30’.

The rise of tide in Caledon Bay was so small, that nothing certain could be determined on board, either upon the quantity or the time; but it appeared from the observations of lieutenant Fowler at the tents, that there were two tides in the day, the rise of which varied from 3 feet 10, to 4 feet 10 inches; and that the time of high water took place at nine hours and a half after the moon passed over and under the meridian.

On board the ship, the range of the thermometer was from 83 deg. to 87 deg., nearly as it had been from first entering the Gulph of Carpentaria; and on shore it was probably 10 deg. higher.  Several of our people were ill of diarrhoeas at this time, accompanied with some fever, which was attributed by the surgeon to the heat and the moist state of the atmosphere; for since December, when the north-west monsoon began, not many days had passed without rain, and thunder squalls were frequent.  Exposing the head uncovered to the sun, more especially if engaged in strong exercise, was proved to be very dangerous here; I lost one man in Blue-mud Bay from a want of due precaution in this particular, and at this place two others very narrowly escaped.  Musketoes were numerous and exceedingly troublesome on shore, as also the black flies; but no venemous reptiles were seen in our limited excursions round Caledon Bay.  The mercury in the barometer stood between 29.90 and 29.95 inches, in the rainy weather with strong winds from the eastward; but with fine weather and variable winds, more especially from the south and westward, it descended to 29.80 inches.

CHAPTER IX.

Departure from Caledon Bay. 
Cape Arnhem. 
Melville Bay. 
Cape Wilberforce, and Bromby’s Isles. 
The English Company’s Islands:  meeting there with vessels from Macassar. 
Arnhem Bay. 
The Wessel’s Islands. 
Further examination of the North Coast postponed. 
Arrival at Coepang Bay, in Timor. 
Remarks and astronomical observations.

[NORTH COAST. GULPH OF CARPENTARIA.]

THURSDAY 10 FEBRUARY 1803

(Atlas, Plate XV.)

At daylight in the morning of Feb. 10, we sailed down Caledon Bay, and steered eastward along the south side of the islands lying in the entrance.  In passing the outer island I landed with the botanical gentlemen, and took bearings from a small elevation on its north-east end, which materially assisted in fixing the positions of the northern islets, and extending the survey onward along the coast.