the afternoon, we had some small rocky islands between us and the land, the southermost of which lies in latitude 30 deg. 10’, and the northermost in 29 deg. 58’, and somewhat more than two leagues from the land:  About two miles without the northermost island we had thirty-three fathom water.  Having the advantage of a moon, we steered along the shore all night, in the direction of N. and N. by E. keeping at the distance of about three leagues from the land, and having from twenty to twenty-five fathom water.  As soon as it was light, having a fresh gale, we made all the sail we could, and at nine o’clock in the morning, being about a league from the shore, we discovered smoke in many places, and having recourse to our glasses, we saw about twenty of the natives, who had each a large bundle upon his back, which we conjectured to be palm-leaves for covering their houses:  We continued to observe them above an hour, during which they walked upon the beach, and up a path that led over a hill of a gentle ascent, behind which we lost sight of them:  Not one of them was observed to stop and look towards us, but they trudged along, to all appearance, without the least emotion either of curiosity or surprise, though it is impossible they should not have seen the ship by a casual glance as they walked along the shore; and though she must, with respect to every other object they had yet seen, have been little less stupendous and unaccountable than a floating mountain with all its woods would have been to us.  At noon, our latitude, by observation, was 28 deg. 39’ S., and longitude 206 deg. 27’ W. A high point of land, which I named Cape Byron, bore N.W. by W. at the distance of three miles.  It lies in latitude 28 deg. 37’ 30” S., longitude 206 deg. 30’ W., and may be known by a remarkable sharp peaked mountain, which lies inland, and bears from it N.W. by W. From this point, the land trends N. 13 W.:  Inland it is high and hilly, but low near the shore; to the southward of the point it is also low and level.  We continued to steer along the shore with a fresh gale, till sun-set, when we suddenly discovered breakers a-head, directly in the ship’s course and also on our larboard bow.  At this time we were about five miles from the land, and had twenty fathom water:  We hauled up east till eight, when we had run eight miles, and increased our depth of water to forty-four fathom:  We then brought-to, with the ship’s head to the eastward, and lay upon this tack till ten, when, having increased our sounding to seventy-eight fathom, we wore, and lay with the ship’s head to the land till five in the morning, when we made sail, and at day-light, were greatly surprised to find ourselves farther to the southward, than we had been the evening before, though the wind had been southerly, and blown fresh all night:  We now saw the breakers again within us, and passed them at the distance of one league.  They lie in latitude 28 deg. 8’ S. stretching off east two leagues from a point of land, under which