I have already mentioned that I knew not where the Dutch settlement was situated but I had a faint idea that it was at the south-west part of the island.  I therefore, after daylight, bore away alongshore to the south-south-west, which I was the more readily induced to do as the wind would not suffer us to go towards the north-east without great loss of time.

The day gave us a most agreeable prospect of the land which was interspersed with woods and lawns; the interior part mountainous, but the shore low.  Towards noon the coast became higher with some remarkable headlands.  We were greatly delighted with the general look of the country which exhibited many cultivated spots and beautiful situations; but we could only see a few small huts whence I concluded that no European resided in this part of the island.  Much sea ran on the shore which made landing impracticable.  At noon we were abreast of a high headland; the extremes of the land bore south-west half west, and north-north-east half east; our distance offshore being three miles; latitude by observation 9 degrees 59 minutes south; and my longitude by dead reckoning from the north part of New Holland 15 degrees 6 minutes west.

With the usual allowance of bread and water for dinner I divided the bird we had caught the night before, and to the surgeon and Lebogue I gave a little wine.

The wind blew fresh at east and east-south-east with very hazy weather.  During the afternoon we continued our course along a low shore covered with innumerable palm-trees, called the Fan Palm from the leaf spreading like a fan; but here we saw no signs of cultivation, nor had the country so fine an appearance as to the eastward.  This however was only a small tract, for by sunset it improved again and I saw several great smokes where the inhabitants were clearing and cultivating their grounds.  We had now run 25 miles to the west-south-west since noon and were west five miles from a low point which, in the afternoon, I imagined had been the southernmost land, and here the coast formed a deep bend with low land in the bight that appeared like islands.  The west shore was high; but from this part of the coast to the high cape which we were abreast of at noon the shore is low and I believe shoal.  I particularly remark this situation because here the very high ridge of mountains that run from the east end of the island, terminate, and the appearance of the country changes for the worse.

That we might not run past any settlement in the night I determined to preserve my station till the morning and therefore brought to under a close-reefed foresail.  We were here in shoal water, our distance from the shore being half a league, the westernmost land in sight bearing west-south-west half west.  Served bread and water for supper and, the boat lying to very well, all but the officer of the watch endeavoured to get a little sleep.

Saturday 13.