In Torres’ Strait, when running with a fresh side wind, the ship had leaked to the amount of ten inches of water per hour. and in some hours the carpenters had reported as much as fourteen; but no anchorage, adapted to the purpose of caulking the bends, had presented itself until our arrival here.  Before going on shore, I had left orders for the ship to be put on a careen, and the carpenters began upon the larbord side.  In the course of their work two planks were found to be rotten, and the timber underneath was in no better state; it was therefore desirable to find a place where the holds could be completed with water, and the botanists and myself find useful employment for a few days, whilst the deficiencies were repairing.  Such a place, it was reasonable to expect, the opening to the westward would afford; and the carpenters having patched up the bad part by the evening of the 18th [THURSDAY 18 NOVEMBER 1802], and another set of observations for the time keepers being obtained, we were then ready to proceed in the examination.

[NORTH COAST. WELLESLEY’S ISLANDS.]

FRIDAY 19 NOVEMBER 1802

Next morning at sunrise, we steered up the opening with a land wind at S. S. E.; and until ten o’clock, when we had reached the furthest part of the western land seen from Inspection Hill, the soundings were between 6 and 3 fathoms, reduced to low water.  This land proved to be an island of ten or eleven miles long, and I have given it the name of Bentinck, in honour of the Right Hon. LORD WILLIAM BENTINCK; of whose obliging attention, when governor of Madras, I shall hereafter have to speak in praise.  To the north-west of Bentinck’s Island, several small isles came in sight; but a northern sea breeze having set in, we kept on our western course for the low main land, which trended here north-westward.  At one o’clock the diminution of depth to 21/2 fathoms, obliged us to tack; the main being four miles distant, and the eastern extreme of the nearest island bearing N. 3 deg.  W., two leagues:  this was named Allen’s Isle, after the practical miner of the expedition.  In working to windward, the water was found to be shallow in almost every direction; and the deepest being at three or four miles from the south-west point of Bentinck’s Island, the anchor was there dropped in 41/2 fathoms, muddy bottom.

SATURDAY 20 NOVEMBER 1802

In the morning we steered towards Allen’s Isle, with the whale boat ahead; and anchored one mile and a half from its south-east end, in 31/2 fathoms, mud.  Our latitude here was 17 deg. 5’, longitude 139 deg. 26’; and azimuths taken with the surveying compass, when the head was N. by E., gave variation 2 deg. 49’, or 3 deg. 15’ east, corrected.  I went on shore with the botanical gentlemen, in order to take bearings, and explore further up the opening.