A bay trends to the westward of Point Pickering, which was called Walmsley Bay; it probably affords good anchorage.

October 14.

During the night we had lightning from the North-West, and the next day the wind was so light that we did not make much progress; an anchorage was occupied during the ensuing night to the eastward of Point Biggs, half a mile to the northward of a small rocky island in ten fathoms and a half, muddy bottom.  Every succeeding day the weather was getting more and more unfavourable for our purpose; which increased my anxiety to escape from this labyrinth of islands and shoals; for we had evidently no time to spare in order to leave the coast before the rainy season should commence.

The whole of this gulf is admirably formed for the trepang fishery and the animal is extremely abundant among the reefs.  Both fish and turtle are plentiful, the latter are of very large size; none however were taken to determine its species.  We have seen very few inhabitants on this part of the coast but at this season they are doubtless divided into small detached parties for the greater facility of procuring sustenance, and of making their reservoirs of water, wherever they may be, last longer.

October 15.

The next day, after an ineffectual attempt to pass out through the islands in the vicinity of Cape Voltaire, we anchored about midway between three of high flat-topped form; and at night the boat was despatched to the easternmost island, to watch for turtle, but it returned without having seen any.  During the night the wind blew a moderate breeze from South-West with dark cloudy weather.

October 16.

At daylight we weighed, but from light baffling winds it was some time before we cleared the islands.  The tide however swept us out and drifted us half a mile to windward of a small peaked island which must be the Pascal Island of the French:  this islet is of small size but remarkable for its conical shape and having, as it were, its apex cut off.  It is surrounded by a rocky shoal of small extent.

The wind had now veered to West-North-West and obliged our passing to the eastward of Cassini Island (of Captain Baudin); and, from the immense numbers of turtle-tracks that were seen upon its beach, we would gladly have anchored near it, had a convenient place offered; but the bottom was so deep that we could not with safety drop our anchor.  The plan given by M. de Freycinet of this archipelago is so defective that many of his islands could not be recognised; but those which were made out preserve his names.  Cassini Island is sufficiently well placed by him, and was a useful point for the sake of comparing our longitudes.  In the space between Cape Bougainville and Cape Voltaire, which was named the Admiralty Gulf, we have given positions to at least forty islands or islets.