Plate XIII), whose extent to the southward, not having been seen in the Investigator, I wished now to ascertain.  The breakers came in sight at eight next morning [THURSDAY 20 OCTOBER 1803], and we hauled up to pass round their south end; but the wind being scant for going to windward of all, and the small gap before seen in the middle appearing to be passable for the Cumberland, we bore up for it.  The depth at less than a quarter of a mile off was 40 fathoms, then 6, 7, 4 in the centre of the opening, 8, and no ground with the hand line; this front reef seeming to be a mere ledge of coral, which extended N. N. E. and S. S. W.; and that part of the opening in it where the sea did not break, is about one mile wide.  Immediately on getting through, altitudes were taken for the time keeper; and the longitude, reduced to the north-east extremity of the Eastern Fields, was 145 deg. 441/2’ east, or about 1’ less than what had been found in the Investigator from Broad Sound.  In steering W. N. W., two small patches of reef were left to the south and one to the north, about five miles from the opening; other reefs then came in sight ahead and on each bow; and after sounding in 34 fathoms coral sand, and observing the latitude 10 deg. 2 1/3’, we passed through a narrow channel between them, having no ground at 7 fathoms.  At one o’clock, the western extremity of these reefs bore S. 16 deg.  E. two miles, and others were seen in the horizon extending from N. W. to W. S. W.; we passed close round the north end of these; but the single breaker laid down the year before, and which should lie about five miles to the N. N. E., was not perceived.  At three o’clock, in steering westward, the last reefs were out of sight astern; and nothing more had been seen at seven, when we hauled to the wind for the night.  An amplitude observed at sunset, with the schooner’s head W. by S., gave 6 deg. 2’ east variation.

FRIDAY 21 OCTOBER 1803

We tacked every two or three hours, until daylight; and then bore away W. S. W. by compass, to make the south side of the Pandora’s Entrance, which I had not seen in the Investigator.  Soon after eight o’clock, breakers came in sight; and we stood off and on till noon, to fix their latitude and longitude, and ascertain our position with respect to Murray’s Islands before entering the Strait.  The sun was vertical and therefore difficult to be observed; but in taking Mr. Aken’s observation on one side and mine on the other, which differed only 31/2’, the mean latitude 10 deg. 01/2’, could not be far wrong.  The reef in sight was shown by this observation to be on the south side of the Pandora’s Entrance, as I wished; and its north end will lie in 10 deg. 59’ south, and longitude by the time keeper 144 deg. 40’ east.  We bore away so soon as the observation was obtained, and in passing close round the north end, got soundings at two casts, in 7 and 5 fathoms.