At two in the afternoon of the 16th, the wind being moderate at N. N. W., we worked out of Melville Bay; and anchored at dusk, five miles from the entrance in 13 fathoms, sand and mud.  Next morning [THURSDAY 17 FEBRUARY 1803], in following the line of the western shore with a breeze off the land, we passed three rocks lying out from a point under Mount Bonner; and further on, six or seven miles short of Cape Wilberforce, there was a small shallow opening.  From the north part of this cliffy cape, a chain of islands and rocks extends out three or four leagues to the E. N. E., which I call Bromby’s Isles, after my worthy friend the Rev. John Bromby of Hull.  One of these is cliffy, and two miles long; the rest are smaller, and the whole seemed to be connected by rocks under water; but between Cape Wilberforce and the nearest islet was a space three-quarters of a mile wide, towards which we worked up against a fresh wind at W. N. W. At noon, the two cliffy parts of the cape bore S. 1/4 E. and W. 1/4 N., from one to two miles; and the latter, which is the north extremity, was ascertained to lie in 11 deg. 52’ south, and 136 deg. 33’ east.

At this time the weather became squally with much rain; but after numberless tacks, made under double-reefed top sails and courses in the narrow passage, with soundings from 10 to 18 fathoms, we cleared it at two o’clock, and stretched southwestward as the main coast was found to trend; and thus was the examination of the Gulph of Carpentaria finished, after employing one hundred and five days in coasting along its shores and exploring its bays and islands.  The extent of the Gulph in longitude, from Endeavour’s Strait to Cape Wilberforce, is 51/2 deg. and in latitude 7 deg.; and the circuit, excluding the numerous islands and the openings, is little less than four hundred leagues.  It will be remarked that the form of it, given in the old charts, is not very erroneous, which proves it to have been the result of a real examination; but as no particulars were known of the discovery of the south and western parts, not even the name of the author, though opinion ascribed it with reason to Tasman, so the chart was considered as little better than a representation of fairy land, and did not obtain the credit which it was now proved to have merited.  Henceforward, the Gulph of Carpentaria will take its station amongst the conspicuous parts of the globe in a decided character.

[NORTH COAST. ENGLISH COMPANY’S ISLANDS.]

After clearing the narrow passage between Cape Wilberforce and Bromby’s Isles, we followed the main coast to the S. W.; having on the starbord hand some high and large islands, which closed in towards the coast ahead so as to make it doubtful whether there were any passage between them.  Under the nearest island was perceived a canoe full of men; and in a sort of roadsted, at the south end of the same island, there were six vessels covered over like hulks, as if laid