the mean of which is 19’ 52.4” more than what I consider to be the true longitude, but on using rates equally accelerated from those at Coepang to what were found above, the error becomes reduced to 12’ 11.6” east; which is the sum of the apparent irregularity of the time keepers from April 8 to May 18, or in 40.2 days.  The corrections applied to the longitude during the last passage, are therefore what arise from the equal acceleration of the rates, and from the proportional part of the 12’ 11.6” of irregularity; and when thus corrected, the time keepers did not appear to differ at Cape Leeuwin and Mount Gardner more than 1’ from the longitude of the former year.

[SOUTH COAST. TOWARDS PORT JACKSON]

SATURDAY 21 MAY 1803

On clearing Goose-Island Bay we steered eastward, with cloudy weather and a fresh breeze which veered to S. S. W. A small round island, with two rocks on its north side, was discovered in the south-eastern part of the archipelago, and also a reef; neither of which I had before seen, nor are they noticed by admiral D’Entrecasteaux.  At 3h 40’ the following bearings were taken: 

Cape Arid, top of the mount, N. 741/2 deg.  W.
Cape Pasley, N. 26 W.
Two south-east isles, S. 19 W.
Reef, distant 4 or 5 miles, S. 16 E.
Small round isle, dist. 4 or 5 leagues, N. 88 E.

We passed within three miles of the round isle at dusk, and saw no other danger near it than the two rocks, which are very distinguishable; the weather was squally, but as I did not expect to meet with any more dangers, we kept on, steering seven points from the wind all night, with the precaution of having a warrant officer at the lookout.  In the way to Bass’ Strait I wished to have completed the examination of Kangaroo Island, and also to run along the space of main coast, from Cape Northumberland to Cape Otway, of which the bad weather had prevented a survey in the former year; but the sickly state of my people from dysentery and fever, as also of myself, did not admit of doing any thing to cause delay in our arrival at Port Jackson.

MONDAY 23 MAY 1803

(Atlas, Plate III.)

In the afternoon of the 23rd, being in latitude 35 deg. 10’ and longitude 128 deg. 54’, the variation was observed with three compasses to be 4 deg. 58’ west, when the ship’s head was at magnetic east; this corrected, will be 1 deg. 46’ west, agreeing with the observations on each side of this longitude in sight of the coast.  On the 26th [THURSDAY 26 MAY 1803], in 37 deg. 53’ south and 135 deg. 48’ east, with the head S. E. by E., the variation was 1 deg. 33’ west, or 1 deg. 17’ east corrected; and in the same longitude at the head of Port Lincoln, we had found 1 deg. 39’ east.  This day James Greenhalgh, sergeant of marines, died of the dysentery; a man whom I sincerely regretted, from the zeal and fidelity with which he had constantly fulfilled the duties of his situation.