It was the 7th of August when we came into Shark’s Bay; in which we anchored at three several places, and stayed at the first of them (on the west side of the bay) till the 11th.  During which time we searched about, as I said, for fresh water, digging wells, but to no purpose.  However we cut good store of firewood at this first anchoring-place; and my company were all here very well refreshed with raccoons, turtle, shark, and other fish, and some fowls; so that we were now all much brisker than when we came in hither.  Yet still I was for standing farther into the bay, partly because I had a mind to increase my stock of fresh water, which was began to be low; and partly for the sake of discovering this part of the coast.  I was invited to go further by seeing from this anchoring-place all open before me; which therefore I designed to search before I left the bay.  So on the 11th about noon I steered farther in, with an easy sail because we had but shallow water:  we kept therefore good looking-out for fear of shoals; sometimes shortening, sometimes deepening the water.  About 2 in the afternoon we saw the land ahead that makes the south of the bay, and before night we had again shoalings from that shore:  and therefore shortened sail and stood off and on all night under, 2 topsails, continually sounding, having never more than 10 fathom, and seldom less than 7.  The water deepened and shoaled so very gently that in heaving the lead 5 or 6 times we should scarce have a foot difference.  When we came into 7 fathom either way we presently went about.  From this south part of the bay we could not see the land from whence we came in the afternoon:  and this land we found to be an island of 3 or 4 leagues long, as is seen in the plan, but it appearing barren I did not strive to go nearer it; and the rather because the winds would not permit us to do it without much trouble, and at the openings the water was generally shoal.  I therefore made no farther attempts in this south-west and south part of the bay, but steered away to eastward to see if there was any land that way, for as yet we had seen none there.  On the 12th in the morning we passed by the north point of that land and were confirmed in the persuasion of its being an island by seeing an opening to the east of it, as we had done on the west.  Having fair weather, a small gale, and smooth water, we stood further on in the bay to see what land was on the east of it.  Our soundings at first were 7 fathom, which held so a great while, but at length it decreased to 6.  Then we saw the land right ahead that in the plan makes the east of the bay.  We could not come near it with the ship, having but shoal water; and it being dangerous lying there, and the land extraordinary low, very unlikely to have fresh water (though it had a few trees on it, seemingly mangroves) and much of it probably covered at high-water, I stood out again that afternoon, deepening the water, and before night anchored in 8 fathom, clean white sand, about the middle