the south-west of it. We were obliged to haul up S.S.W. before the visible extremity of the latter bore on our starboard bow.
We were now greatly embarrassed, and in much doubt respecting our position, which, as noon was fast approaching, and the sky overcast, there did not seem to be any probability of ascertaining: to add to our uneasiness, the rain fell in heavy and frequent showers, accompanied by strong squalls, which were driving us nearer than agreeable to the lee-shore, on which we could discern the sea breaking heavily.
Contrary to expectation, however, the sun burst through the clouds at noon, as if on purpose to show his meridian altitude, and then withdrew. Having ascertained our latitude to be 10° 16' south, we were convinced of what we had before conjectured, that the land on our lee was Banks' Island[1]. We stood on, and succeeded in weathering its south-western point; and then we observed that it trended to the north-west.
In a short time, the sea, which had hitherto been
- ↑ Previously to our latitude being thus satisfactorily known, we suspected that we had got to the northward, and that the peaked hill to the westward was Mount Augustus, but our latitude being 10° 16', and the hitherto supposed Wednesday Island bearing at this time to the northward of east, according with its latitude as laid down in Horsburgh's Directory, and in Lynn's Tables, we were completely puzzled. We did not imagine that these books could be both erroneous in this respect. Such, however, is the fact; Wednesday Island being in latitude 10° 30', in place of 10° 10', as it is laid down in both these justly esteemed publications. Pole's Island (that which we supposed Wednesday Island) is in latitude 10° 10' exactly.
