fathoms. At half an hour past one in the Morning we past by a small low Island, which bore from us at that time N.N.W., distant 3 or 4 Miles; depth of Water 14 fathoms, and at daylight we discover'd another low Island extending from N.N.W. and N.N.E., distant 2 or 3 Leagues. I believe I should have landed upon this Island to have known its produce, as it did not appear to be very small, had not the wind blown too fresh for such an undertaking, and at the time we passed the Island we had only 10 fathoms Water, a rocky bottom; I was therefore afraid of running down to leeward for fear of meeting with Shoal Water and foul ground. These Islands have no place on the Charts, unless they are the Arrow Isles, which, if they are, they are laid down much too far from New Guinea. I found the S. part of these to lay in the Lat. 7° 6′ S, Long. 225° 0′ W.[1]
Thursday, 6th.—A steady fresh gale at E. by S. and clear weather, with which we steer'd W.S.W. At 7 in the Evening we took in the small Sails, reef'd the Topsails, and sounded, having 50 fathoms; we still keept W.S.W. all night, going at the rate of 4½ Miles an hour. At 10 had 42 fathoms; at 11, 37; and at 12 o'Clock 45; 1 o'Clock 49; and at 3, 120; after which we could get no ground. In the evening we caught 2 Boobies, which settled upon the rigging, and these were the first of the kind we have caught in this manner the voyage, altho' I have heard of them being caught this way in great numbers. At daylight, in the Morning, we made all the sail we could, and at 10 o'Clock saw land extending from N.N.W. to W. by N., distant 5 or 6 League. At Noon it bore from N. to W. about the same distance; our Latitude by observation was 8° 15′ S., Long. 227° 47 W. This land is of an even and moderate height, and by our run from New Guinea ought to be a part of the Arrow Isles;[2] but it lays a degree farther to the S. than any of these Islands are laid down in the Charts. We sounded, but had no ground, with 50 fathoms of Line.
Friday, 7th.—As I was not able to satisfy myself from any Chart what land it was we saw to Leeward of us, and fearing it might trend away more Southerly, and the weather being hazey so that we could not see far, we steer'd S.W., which Course by 4 o'Clock run us out of sight of the land; by this I was assured that no part of it lay to the Southward of 8° 15′ S. We continued standing to the S.W. all night under an Easey sail, having the advantage of a fresh gale at S.E. by E. and E.S.E., and clear moon light; we sounded every hour, but had no bottom with 100 and 120 fathoms of line. At daylight in the Morning we steer'd W.S.W., and after-
