We passed at nearly an equal distance between the four rocky islets and the main land, that is to say, at six or eight miles from each; and at five o’clock were abreast of a projecting part of the coast where the sandy hills seemed to form white cliffs.  This is called Cap des Basses (Shoal Cape) in the French chart; and we saw, in fact, an islet under the land, surrounded with much broken water, and the soundings decreased from 35 to 25 fathoms soon after passing it at the distance of five or six miles.  There was an appearance of small inlets on each side of Shoal Cape, but as admiral D’Entrecasteaux passed within three miles and does not mark any, it was probably a deception, caused by the land being very low between the sand hills.

[SOUTH COAST. RECHERCHE’S ARCHIPELAGO.]

Before sunset the westernmost isle of D’Entrecasteaux’s Archipel de la Recherche was in sight to the eastward, and at half-past seven our distance from it was about six miles.  The French admiral had mostly skirted round the archipelago, a sufficient reason for me to attempt passing through the middle, if the weather did not make the experiment too dangerous.  It was fine at this time, and the breeze moderate at south-south-west; and I therefore took measures to be in with the western group as early on the following morning as possible, to have the whole day for getting through.

SATURDAY 9 JANUARY 1802

At a quarter-past five we bore away for the south end of the westernmost island, passed in within a mile and a half at seven, and steered eastward for the clusters rising ahead and on both bows.  At noon the number of rocks above water, the patches of breakers, and the islands with which we were surrounded made it necessary to heave to, in order to take the angles of so many objects with some degree of accuracy.  The situation of the ship, and the three most material bearings were these: 

Latitude, observed to the north and south 35 deg. 0’ 25” Longitude reduced up from eight o’clock 121 49 45 Observatory I. (Of D’Entrecasteaux) dist. 6 miles, N. 37 W. High Peak on Cape Le Grand, N. 841/2 E. Small, high, peaked island, distant 7 or 8 miles, S. 57 E.

This last peak had been visible from daybreak, and appears to be the top of the imperfectly formed Ile de Remarque of D’Entrecasteaux’s chart. and from it I measured with a sextant the angles of most of the other objects.  The long reef of rocks called La Chaussee (The Causeway) was four or five miles distant to the southward; and a sunken rock, upon which the sea broke at times, was three miles off to the north-east.  The islands were more particularly numerous to the east-south-east, where our course lay; but as they were generally high, with bold rocky shores, and we had hitherto found deep water, I bore away for them so soon as all the bearings were obtained.