well determined, the great risk attending a more accurate survey, and the time it would require to accomplish it, on account of the many dangers we should have to encounter, I determined not to hazard the ship down to leeward, where we might be so hemmed in as to find it difficult to return, and by that means lose the proper season for getting to the south.  I now wished to have had the little vessel set up, the frame of which we had on board.  I had some thoughts of doing this, when we were last at Otaheite, but found it could not be executed, without neglecting the caulking and other necessary repairs of the ship, or staying longer there than the route I had in view would admit.  It was now too late to begin setting her up, and then to use her in exploring this coast; and in our voyage to the south, she could be of no service.  These reasons induced me to try to get without the shoals; that is, to the southward of them.

Next morning at day-break, we got under sail with a light breeze at E. by N. We had to make some trips to weather the shoals to leeward of Botany Isle; but when this was done the breeze began to fail; and at three p.m. it fell calm.  The swell, assisted by the current, set us fast to S.W. towards the breakers, which were yet in sight in that direction.  Thus we continued till ten o’clock, at which time a breeze springing up at N.N.W. we steered E.S.E.; the contrary course we had come in; not daring to steer farther south till daylight.

1774 October

At three o’clock next morning, the wind veered to S.W., blew hard, and in squalls, attended with rain, which made it necessary to proceed with our courses up and top-sails on the cap, till day-break, when the hill on the Isle of Pines bore north; and our distance from the shore in that direction was about four leagues.  We had now a very strong wind at S.S.W. attended by a great sea; so that we had reason to rejoice at having got clear of the shoals before this gale overtook us.  Though every thing conspired to make me think this was the westerly monsoon, it can hardly be comprehended under that name, for several reasons; first, because it was near a month too soon for these winds; secondly, because we know not if they reach this place at all; and lastly, because it is very common for westerly winds to blow within the tropics.  However, I never found them to blow so hard before, or so far southerly.  Be these things as they may, we had now no other choice but to stretch to S.E., which we accordingly did with our starboard tacks aboard; and at noon we were out of sight of land.

The gale continued with very little alteration till noon next day; at which time we observed in latitude 23 deg. 18’, longitude made from the Isle of Pines 1 deg. 54’ E. In the afternoon we had little wind from the south, and a great swell from the same direction:  And many boobies, tropic, and men-of-war birds were seen.  At eleven o’clock a fresh breeze sprung up at W. by S., with which we stood to the south.  At this time we were in the latitude of 23 deg. 18’, longitude 169 deg. 49’ E., and about forty-two leagues south of the Hebrides.