June 10.

The next morning we landed on the Island of which Pine Head is the south-easternmost extremity and from its summit obtained an extensive set of bearings.

The island possesses the same rocky character with the rest of this group; but the soil, although shallow, nourished some luxuriant grass which reached up to our middle and concealed the rocks that are plentifully strewed over the ground.  The trees are low and stunted, but the steep slope of the head is covered with pines and forms one of the most remarkable features of Whitsunday Passage.

Whilst we were on shore Mr. Bedwell shortened in the cable preparatory to weighing; but on doing it the anchor tripped, and it was with difficulty that the cutter was kept clear of the rocks, close to which she was drifted by the eddies.  On arriving on board, we steered to the northward through Whitsunday Passage and afterwards stood towards Captain Cook’s Cape Gloucester, the extremity of which turned out to be an island (Gloucester Island) of five miles long:  it is separated from the real Cape by a Strait, a mile and a half wide.

June 11.

On passing round Gloucester Island we saw Holborne Island which Captain Cook discovered and named.  We then hauled into Edgecumbe Bay, but as the night was advancing had not time to explore its shores.  We therefore passed round Middle Island, which had escaped Captain Cook’s observation, and steered to the North-West, parallel with the shore of the main, which appeared to be very low.

June 12.

The next morning we were steering towards Mount Upstart, and at noon passed within two miles of its extremity.  Behind the Mount, which rises with remarkable abruptness from the low land in its rear, are two prominent hills; the highest of which, Mount Abbott, has a peaked summit; the irregular and mountainous appearance of the range upon which this Mount stands, and a very evident break in the hills on its western side, would lead one to suspect the existence of a river, of which the bay on the western side of the Mount may be the mouth.  There is also a bay on the eastern side of Mount Upstart, which also has a river-like appearance.  In fact, it is not at all certain whether Mount Upstart may not be an island, and the bay behind it the mouth of a considerable stream.

The variation observed by Captain Cook off Mount Upstart was 9 degrees East; but by an Azimuth observed by me close to the Cape, it was found not more than 6 degrees 16 minutes East.  The result of Captain Cook’s observation must therefore be attributed to some other cause than, as he supposed, to a magnetical power in the hills of this promontory.

June 13.