The topsails were then treble reefed, and we hauled to the wind, which blew strong at E. S. E., with squally weather.  At eight, hove to and sounded:  no ground with 75 fathoms; and at twelve, none with 115.  But the wind unfortunately headed two points; and the probability of meeting unknown reefs being thereby much increased, I tacked to the southward at one in the morning [THURSDAY 21 OCTOBER 1802]; preferring, if we must of necessity be again driven amongst them, to come in where we knew of an opening, rather than where their formation was totally unknown.

At four, tacked ship to the northward, and sounded with 100 fathoms, no bottom.  At daylight, no reefs could be seen from the mast head, the wind had moderated its strength, and we made all possible sail to the N. by E.; keeping two points free, to make the ship go through the water.  We now considered ourselves entirely clear of the reefs; but at noon high breakers were seen extending from West to N. N. W., at the distance of six or seven miles, and we hauled up a point more to the eastward.  Our latitude was 17 deg. 54’, longitude 148 deg. 37’, and at the depth of 100 fathoms there was no ground; the variation observed in the morning, with three azimuth compasses, was 6 deg. 8’ east, corrected to the meridian.  Another reef was discovered at two o’clock, lying nearly three leagues to the northward of the former; but although there were many boobies, and tropic and man-of-war birds about, no more dangers had been descried at dusk; nor did we see any more until approaching Torres’ Strait.

I shall conclude this chapter with some general remarks on the reefs, which form so extraordinary a barrier to this part of New South Wales; and amongst which we sought fourteen days, and sailed more than five hundred miles, before a passage could be found through them, out to sea.

The easternmost parts of the barrier seen in the Investigator, lie nearly in 21 deg. south and 151 deg. 10’ east; but there can be no doubt that they are connected with the reefs lying to the southward, discovered in 1797 by captain Campbell of the brig Deptford; and probably also with those further distant, which captain Swain of the Eliza fell in with in the following year.  If so, the Barrier Reefs will commence as far south-eastward as the latitude 22 deg. 50’ and longitude about 152 deg. 40’, and possibly still further; Break-sea Spit is a coral reef, and a connexion under water, between it and the barrier, seems not improbable.  The opening by which we passed out, is in 18 deg. 52’, and 148 deg. 2’; so that, did the Barrier Reefs terminate here, their extent would be near 350 miles in a straight line; and in all this space, there seems to be no large opening.  Mr. Swain did, indeed, get out at the latitude 22 deg.; but it was by a long, and very tortuous channel.