SATURDAY 23 APRIL 1803

At noon of the 23rd, we had reached the latitude 20 deg. 50’, and were in longitude 105 deg. 13’ east, without having had soundings at 100 fathoms; I then steered a west course, lying to from eight in the evening till daylight; and at the following noon [SUNDAY 24 APRIL 1803] we observed in 20 deg. 49’ south, and the longitude was 103 deg. 49’ east.  This was more than half a degree to the west of Mr. Arrowsmith’s position, and we neither had soundings at 140 fathoms, nor any thing in sight to betoken the vicinity of land; I therefore ran N. W. to get somewhat to the north of the latitude 20 deg. 40’, and at dusk hauled up to the wind, as near to east as the ship could lie, to make further search in that direction.

On the 25th, some tropic birds were seen; and the next day [TUESDAY 26 APRIL 1803], when our latitude was 20 deg. 36’ and longitude 104 deg. 55’, there were several birds of the petrel kind about the ship; very vague signs of land, it is true, but still they gave us hopes; and once we were flattered with the appearance of breakers, and bore away for them, but it was a deception.  We continued to stretch eastward all the next day [WEDNESDAY 27 APRIL 1803]; but the wind having veered from south to S. E., a good deal of northing was made with it; and having reached the latitude 19 deg. 53’ and longitude 106 deg. 41’, without finding bottom, or any more signs of land, I tacked to the S. S. W. and gave up the search.

It should appear from our examination, that the Trial Rocks do not lie in the space comprehended between the latitudes 20 deg. 15’ and 21 deg. south, and the longitudes 103 deg. 25’ and 106 deg. 30’ east.  That they exist, does not seem to admit of a doubt, and probably they will be found near the situation assigned to them by the Dutch sloop; but no bank can extend in a line from thence at all near to Timor.  The variations of the compass observed during our search for the Trial Rocks, were 3 deg. west with the head N. W., 5 deg. 11’ at E. by S., and 5 deg. 38’ at E. S.E.; and the mean, corrected to the meridian, will be 3 deg. 43’ west, in 20 deg. 33’ south and 104 deg. 20’ east longitude.

From the 27th of April we steered eight days to the S. S. W., mostly with south-eastern winds; they were sometimes light, but occasionally fresh, and at these times the ship made five inches of water in the hour.  The diarrhoea on board was gaining ground, notwithstanding all the attention paid to keeping the ship dry and well aired, and the people clean and as comfortable as possible.  Some of the officers began to feel its attack; and in order to relieve them and the people, now that we had no expectation of meeting danger, I directed the ship’s company to be divided into three watches, and put the officers to four; giving Mr. Denis Lacy, master’s mate, the charge of acting lieutenant in the fourth watch.

THURSDAY 5 MAY 1803