As soon as we were clear of the rocks and islands before mentioned, I gave orders to steer S.E. by S. along the coast.  But before these orders could be carried into execution, we discovered the whole sea before us to be chequered with large beds of rock-weed, which we knew to be fast to the bottom, and to grow on rocky shoals.  I had often found a great depth of water on such shoals; and I had, as often, found rocks that have raised their heads nearly to the surface of the water.  It is always dangerous, therefore, to sail over them before they are well examined; but more especially, when there is no surge of the sea to discover the danger.  This was the case at present, for the sea was as smooth as a mill-pond.  Consequently we endeavoured to avoid them, by steering through the winding channels by which they were separated.  We kept the lead continually going; but never struck ground with a line of sixty fathoms.  This circumstance increased the danger, as we could not anchor, whatever necessity there might be for it.  After running in this manner above an hour, we discovered a lurking rock, just even with the surface of the sea.  It bore N.E. 1/2 E., distant three or four miles, and lay in the middle of one of these large beds of weeds.  This was a sufficient warning to make us use every precaution to prevent our coming upon them.

We were now cross the mouth of a large bay, that lies about eight miles to the southward of Howe’s Foreland.  In and before the entrance of this bay are several low islands, rocks, and those beds of sea-weed.  But there seemed to be winding channels between them.  After continuing our course half an hour longer, we were so much embarrassed with these shoals, that I resolved to haul off to the eastward, as the likeliest means of extricating ourselves from the danger that threatened us.  But so far was this from answering the intended purpose, that it brought us into more.  I therefore found it absolutely necessary to secure the ships, if possible, in some place before night; especially as the weather had now become hazy, and a fog was apprehended.  And seeing some inlets to the S.W. of us, I ordered Captain Clerke, as the Discovery drew less water than the Resolution, to lead in for the shore; which was accordingly done.

In standing in, it was not possible to avoid running over the edges of some of the shoals, on which we found from ten to twenty fathoms water; and the moment we were over, had no ground at the depth of fifty fathoms.  After making a few boards to weather a spit that run out from an island on our lee, Captain Clerke made the signal for having discovered an harbour; in which, about five o’clock, we anchored in fifteen fathoms water, over a bottom of fine dark sand, about three quarters of a mile from the shore; the north point of the harbour bearing N. by E. 1/2 E., one mile distant; and the small islands in the entrance, within which we anchored, extending from E. to S.E.