On May 5, in latitude 26 deg. 24’ and longitude 103 deg. 21’, the south-east wind died away, and a breeze sprung up from the opposite quarter, which veered afterwards to the S. W., blowing fresh with squally, moist weather.  Our course was then directed for Cape Leeuwin, with the wind usually a-beam; the sea being too high for the ship to make good way any nearer.  In this passage we were accompanied by several petrels, and amongst them by the albatross, the first of which had been seen in the latitude 23 deg.

FRIDAY 13 MAY 1803

On the 13th, we had reached the parallel of Cape Leeuwin, and were steering E. by S., to make it.  At six in the evening, tried for soundings with 180 fathoms, without finding ground; but after running S. 67 deg.  E. twenty-six miles, we had 75 fathoms, fine white sand; and at daylight [SATURDAY 14 MAY 1803] the land was seen, bearing N. 23 deg. to 52 deg.  E. about eight leagues. (Atlas, Plate II.) The soundings should therefore seem not to extend more than ten or twelve leagues to the west, or but little further than the land will be visible in fine weather.

Our latitude at noon was 34 deg. 43’, and the land of Cape Leeuwin bore from N. 2 deg. to 22 deg.  E.; the uncorrected longitude of the time keepers from Timor made the cape four or five leagues to the east of the position before ascertained, but when corrected, the difference was too small to be perceptible.  At six in the evening we had 40 fathoms, coral bottom, at seven leagues from Point D’Entrecasteaux; but the weather was too thick to take any bearings which might improve my former survey.  We steered along the coast at the distance of seven or eight leagues, with a fresh breeze and a strong current in our favour; and on the next day [SUNDAY 15 MAY 1803] at noon I set land, which had the appearance of Bald Head, at N. 31 deg.  W., distant about five leagues.  Mount Gardner and Bald Island were distinguished in the afternoon; but the land was visible at times only, from the haziness of the weather.

[FROM TIMOR.  ARCHIPELAGO OF THE RECHERCHE.]

My intention in coming so near the South Coast, was to skirt along the outer parts of the Archipelago of the Recherche, which had before been seen imperfectly; and to stop a day or two in Goose-Island Bay, for the purposes of procuring geese for our sick people, seal oil for our lamps, and a few casks of salt from the lake on Middle Island.  It was night [MONDAY 16 MAY 1803] when we approached the archipelago, and I therefore steered to make Termination Island, which is the outermost part; at four in the morning of the 17th [TUESDAY 17 MAY 1803], it was seen about two leagues to the N. E, and we had 62 fathoms on a bottom of white sand.  Mondrain Island was set at daylight, and the positions of many other places were either verified or corrected, during the run to noon; at that time we had 45 fathoms, and a reef was seen which may probably be that marked Vigie, in the French chart, and is the more dangerous from the sea breaking upon it only at times.  No observation was obtained for the latitude, but it should be 34 deg. 13’ south, from the following bearings then taken.