We saw a smoke on an island three or four leagues off, and here also the bushes had been burned, but we found no other sign of inhabitants.  It was probable that on the island where the smoke was there were inhabitants, and fresh water for them.  In the evening I went aboard, and consulted with my officers whether it was best to send thither, or to search among any other of these islands with my boat, or else go from hence and coast along shore with the ship, till we could find some better place than this was to ride in, where we had shoal water and lay exposed to winds and tides.  They all agreed to go from hence, so I gave orders to weigh in the morning as soon as it should be light, and to get out with the land breeze.

Accordingly, August 23rd, at five in the morning, we ran out, having a pretty fresh land breeze at south-south-east.  By eight o’clock we were got out, and very seasonably, for before nine the sea breeze came on us very strong, and increasing, we took in our top-sails and stood off under two courses and a mizen, this being as much sail as we could carry.  The sky was clear, there being not one cloud to be seen, but the horizon appeared very hazy, and the sun at setting the night before, and this morning at rising, appeared very red.  The wind continued very strong till twelve, then it began to abate; I have seldom met with a stronger breeze.  These strong sea breezes lasted thus in their turns three or four days.  They sprang up with the sunrise; by nine o’clock they were very strong, and so continued till noon, when they began to abate; and by sunset there was little wind, or a calm, till the land breezes came, which we should certainly have in the morning about one or two o’clock.  The land breezes were between the south-south-west and south-south-east:  the sea breezes between the east-north-east and north-north-east.  In the night while calm, we fished with hook and line, and caught good store of fish viz., snappers, breams, old-wives, and dog-fish.  When these last came we seldom caught any others; for it they did not drive away the other fish, yet they would be sure to keep them from taking our hooks, for they would first have them themselves, biting very greedily.  We caught also a monk-fish, of which I brought home the picture.

On the 25th of August we still coasted along shore, that we might the better see any opening; kept sounding, and had about twenty fathom, clean sand.  The 26th day, being about four leagues off shore, the water began gradually to sholden from twenty to fourteen fathom.  I was edging in a little towards the land, thinking to have anchored; but presently after the water decreased almost at once, till we had but five fathom.  I durst, therefore, adventure no farther, but steered out the same way that we came in, and in a short time had ten fathom (being then about four leagues and a half from the shore), and even soundings.  I steered away east-north-east, coasting along as the land lies.  This day the sea breezes began to be very moderate again, and we made the best of our way along shore, only in the night edging off a little for fear of shoals.  Ever since we left Shark’s Bay we had fair clear weather, and so for a great while still.