August 13.

As I did not intend running farther than Sunday Island for my next anchorage we did not weigh the following day until we had visited the island and obtained a meridional altitude for its latitude and sights for the time-keeper.  It is about a mile and a half in circumference and forms a high rock of steep ascent; its windward side is clothed with a stunted brush, but the lee or north-west side is tolerably well wooded, and is fronted by a sandy beach, on which the traces of natives’ fireplaces, scattered with fish-bones and turtle shells, were found in all directions.  A considerable coral-reef extends to the northward, having some dry sandy keys at its north extremity.  An extensive view of the neighbouring reefs and islands was obtained from the summit, particularly of the reefs n and o, and of the deep-water channel between them.

August 14.

Our next anchorage was under Sunday Island, and on the 14th we proceeded outside the Bird Isles and between two coral reefs, v and w, that appeared last year to be connected.  Several reefs were also noticed to seaward that had escaped our observation last year, but they are all of small extent, and on the greater number there is a dry bank of sand which on some is bare, whilst others are covered with bushes and small trees.

As the day was too far advanced to permit us to pass round Cape York before night we anchored in the afternoon under Cairncross Island and spent the evening on shore.  This island is low and wooded like the other and is not more than a mile in circumference.  It is thickly covered with bushes and trees, among which Mr. Cunningham found a great many plants that interested him, particularly the bulbous roots of a species of pancratium, and some large specimens of Mimusops kauki in fruit, besides which he observed a remarkable tree which he has described in his journal by the name of Gueltarda octandra.  “It is a strong luxuriant tree, having a stem six feet diameter, whose base is much like the spurred bulb of a tropical fig.” (Cunningham manuscripts.)

The island is situated at the north-west end of the reef which is two miles and a half long and one mile broad, and composed like that of Pelican Island, of dead coral hardened by the weather and cemented by its own calcareous deposit into masses of compact rocks which, being heaped up by the surf, form a key that probably the high-tide scarcely ever covers.  The interior is occupied by a shoal lagoon in which, although not more than two feet deep, our people saw a great variety of fish, and among them a shark five feet long, which, notwithstanding there was scarcely sufficient water for it to float in, contrived to escape.  A few shells of the Voluta ethiopica and some clams (Chama gigas) were found, but neither sort was plentiful.  The natives, as appeared from their traces, occasionally visit the island:  our people found some deserted turtles’ nests, and Mr. Cunningham saw a pigeon that appeared to be new; it was of large size and of black and white plumage:  besides this no other bird was seen.