[NORTH COAST. TORRES’ STRAIT.]

Until noon, we had no soundings with from 25 to 30 fathoms of line, but then found broken coral and shells at the latter depth; the great reefs to windward were two or three miles distant, stretching south-west, and our situation and bearings were as under: 

Latitude observed, 9 deg. 531/2’ S.
Longitude from time keeper, 143 42 E.
Murray’s Isles, the largest, highest part, S. 881/2 E.
Murray’s Isles, the westernmost, highest part, S. 811/2 E.
Darnley’s I., highest part, obscure, N. 10 E.
A small, low isle, To the westward. 
Nearest reef, distant two miles, S. 67 deg. to N. 43 W.

Having a fresh breeze at S. E. by E, we ran at the rate of six knots, following the chain of reefs lying to windward.  On the other side, there were still very few reefs; but several low isles were distinguished, similar to that seen at noon; these were small, but seemingly well covered with wood, and appertain, as I judge, to the group called by Mr. Bampton, Cornwallis’ Range.  At half past two, we passed between reefs one mile and a half asunder, having no ground at 25 fathoms; and then the chain which had been followed from Murray’s Isles, either terminated or took a more southern direction.  Another small, woody isle was then in sight, nearly in our track, at four it bore N. 67 deg.  W., two-and-half miles; and not seeing any other island ahead to afford shelter for the night, we bore away round the south end of its reef, and came to an anchor in 17 fathoms, coral sand.

Cent. of the island, dist. 11/4 miles, bore, S. 83 deg.  E. The surrounding reef, N. 78 deg. to S. 12 E. A woody isle, westmost of five seen this p. m., N. 9 W. A dry sand, set from the mast head, S. W.3/4 S.

A boat was lowered down, and I went on shore with the botanical gentlemen, to look about the island.  It is little better than a bank of sand, upon a basis of coral rock; yet it was covered with shrubs and trees so thickly, that in many places they were impenetrable.  The north-western part is entirely sand, but there grew upon it numbers of pandanus trees, similar to those of the east coast of New South Wales; and around many of them was placed a circle of shells of the chama gigas, or gigantic cockle, the intention of which excited my curiosity.

It appeared that this little island was visited occasionally by the Indians, who obtained from it the fruit of the pandanus, and probably turtle, for the marks of them were seen; and the reef furnishes them with cockles, which are of a superior size here to those we had found upon the reefs of the East Coast.  There being no water upon the island, they seem to have hit upon the following expedient to obtain it:  Long slips of bark are tied round the smooth stems of the pandanus,