At daylight of Dec. 27, we got under way from Pellew’s Group; and passing between the small isles near Cape Pellew, stretched off to sea with a fresh breeze at W. N. W. At noon the cape bore S. 26 deg.  W. four leagues, and towards evening we weathered it, having 10 fathoms water at the distance of five miles; the soundings afterwards diminished gradually to 41/2 fathoms, at two miles from West Island, where the anchor was dropped on a muddy bottom, for the night.  Next morning [TUESDAY 28 DECEMBER 1802], the wind being still at north-west, we again stretched out to sea; and at noon, when the latitude was 15 deg. 24’, Cape Pellew bore S. 60 deg.  E. four leagues.  We were then standing south-westward; and at three o’clock, West Isle bore from S. 74 deg.  E. to about South, the last extreme being hidden by an islet and rock distant two-and-half miles.  The main coast was in sight to the south and westward, and we stood for it until six; the ship was then tacked to the north-east, in 3 fathoms, the shore being three miles off, and extending from behind West Island to N. 36 deg.  W. It was low, mostly sandy, and covered with wood behind the beaches; and except that some places on the shore were rocky, it altogether resembled the more eastern parts of the gulph.  At dusk, the anchor was let go in 6 fathoms, mud and shells.

WEDNESDAY 29 DECEMBER 1802

A small reef was seen in the morning, two miles to the north-east of the ship, and about seven from the coast.  We passed half a mile to windward of it with 31/2 fathoms, and stretched off to sea until noon, with the usual north-western wind; the latitude was then 15 deg. 7’, longitude 135 deg. 40’, and we tacked towards the land, which was not in sight from the mast head.  At six in the evening it was distant two leagues, and the extremes bore S. 26 deg.  E. to 74 deg.  W., the first being the same part which had been set at N. 36 deg.  W., the evening before.  At seven, we tacked from the shore in 31/2 fathoms, and on the water deepening to 4, anchored on coarse sandy ground.  In working along the shore next day [THURSDAY 30 DECEMBER 1802], we met with a shoal of sand and rocks., as far as three leagues off the land; the outer part, upon which we had less than 21/2 fathoms at noon, lying in 15 deg. 13’ south and 136 deg. 16’ east.  After getting clear of this danger, we stretched off until dusk; and then anchored in 9 fathoms, grey sand, some back hills being visible in the S. W. by W., but no part of the low shore.

FRIDAY 31 DECEMBER 1802

We had the wind at W. by S. in the morning, and stood off until noon, nine or ten leagues from the coast; two small lumps of land were then seen, bearing S. 53 deg. and 58 deg.  W., and at the mast head they were perceived to join, and apparently to form an island.  On the wind veering to the south and eastward we steered for it, and before sunset got to an anchor in a small bay on its south side, in 4 fathoms; the extremes of the island bearing N. 81 deg.  E. one mile and a half, to S. 83 deg.  W. three miles.  The main land was visible three or four leagues to the southward, and a projecting part of the back hills, which at first made like a head land, bore S. 3 deg.  W.