A little within the south head of the bay is the entrance of the Southern Branch or Pitt-Water; this is a good harbour, though the entrance is rendered rather narrow by a shoal bank, which extends from the eastern point full two-thirds across; keep the west shore on board, which is pretty bold, and is a high, steep, rocky point, and steer right up the branch; three fathoms is the most you will have at low water, and that depth is only in the narrows, which are of very short extent, for as you run up, you very soon deepen to four, five, six, and eight fathoms; to the shoal which narrows the entrance, it is very gradual soundings.  When you are above the second point on the west shore, you have good depth of water and good room; you may run up in mid-channel without fear; both shores are pretty bold to, except off the points, from some of which it is shoal a small distance:  in this branch there are several coves, in which a ship might lighten and careen; there is also fresh water in various parts of this harbour, with wood in abundance, and fish may be caught in all the sandy bays.

The entrance of this branch is divided from the south-west arm by several rocky points; the land over them high and steep; between which are some small sandy bays; and right off the mouth of this arm is a very high rocky island, of but small extent; its eastern end is very high and perpendicular; this island is a good mark, for any part of the bay may be known, with certainty, by the situation of it, which the chart will point out.  If a stranger were coming in here for shelter in a gale of wind, I would recommend his pushing up the south-west arm, and steering in for the island, which is now called Mount Elliot, from its similarity to the north end of Gibraltar Rock.

You may pass on either side, but the south side is fairest for going up the south-west arm; keep mid-channel between the island and south shore:  this shore is so bold that you may run within two cables length of it.  In your way up you will perceive a branch on the north side, which runs up north-west; when thus high, you are above a bank or middle ground, on which the least water is 16 feet; you may, by keeping near the shore, pass on either side of this shoal, which has gradual soundings to it; the south side has most room and deepest water; the north side has five fathoms:  when above this, you may keep in the middle, if you wish to go higher, and the least water will be five or six fathoms for several miles higher:  from this south-west arm several branches extend, most of which have good depth of water, but the chart will be the best guide.

If you wish to enter the north-west branch, enter it by keeping the larboard shore on board, and for some distance up, as from the starboard shore a shoal extends one-third of the distance over.

After having rested a few days, I determined not to lose any time, but go immediately and make a survey of Botany-Bay, while the weather was cool and pleasant.