77
—too strong for the cutter to hold her own again, much less make progress in beating,—showed me clearly, that unless they either diminish in force, or change in direction—both which, however, I presumed would be the case in the space of another fortnight, I would be already behind the time specified for my return. For these reasons, I determined not to go further north, than the latitude of 28° 45', where I passed the night, amid coral reefs, inside a chain of breakers, and where, in bringing up the vessel, grounded on one of these rocks, by the anchor coming home. She was soon got off, but not without losing part of her false keel. At this part of the coast, the nearest hills rise to a greater height than on the general line of coast to the south, but are of the same sandy nature, with the same sort of limestone, as in the vicinity of Swan River. The vegetation is also still shrubby; the country inland rises into mountains, the Wizard Hills and Mount Fairfax; but my time did not permit my getting more than a distant view of them.
The 11th and 12th were passed beating to the southward, and the night between them and the sea, where I found a heavy swell and strong breezes; nor was I favoured with their being well to the westward, as I expected, on standing in shore again on the latter day; so that, during two days and nights, I only made thirty miles of latitude. At sunset on the 12th, having observed shelter inside some reefs, I took advantage of it, and remained there for the night; nor did I stand out to sea any following night, always having found shelter, more or less good, and prefering being in smooth water, and working up inside the reefs, with the moderate breezes of the mornings and forenoons, for they
