At this time their attention was much attracted by a party of natives from these islands, who appeared to be standing up in their canoes, and pulling toward them, with all their strength, in very regular order.  They seemed to have long poles or spears in their hands, with which also they appeared to be paddling, the whole of them shifting their hands at the same instant, after the manner of the South Sea islanders.  As about twenty of them were counted, and seemed to be coming on with much resolution, our people prepared for whatever might be the event.  The sloop was put under easy sail, her decks cleared of every incumbrance, and each man was provided with a competent number of musket balls, pistol balls, and buck shot, which were to be used as the distance might require; for it was intended that not a man should escape if they commenced an attack.

Being thus prepared, they bore away toward them, finding that with all their exertions they did not approach much nearer to the vessel.  But what was their surprise on discovering, that, instead of advancing in canoes to attack them, they were standing upon a large flat, that surrounded the third island, driving fish into their nets, and that they had but two canoes among them.  They were standing in a line, splashing in the water with long sticks, first for some time on one side, and then all shifting to splash on the other.  Thus this hostile array turned out to be a few peaceable fishermen:  peaceable indeed; for on the approach of the vessel they sunk their canoes upon the flat, and retreated to the island, where they made their fires.

The flood tide having ceased to run, they anchored at noon, and by the sun’s meridional altitude, in 27 degrees 27 minutes 16 seconds south latitude.  The third island, on which the natives were, bore W 4 degrees S one and a half or two miles distant, and the centres of the two northern ones N 40 degrees and N 15 degrees W. The entrance from Moreton Bay bearing N 68 degrees E from this anchorage, corroborated its latitude by the observation of the 14th, which was taken on the sea side of it although it differed considerably from that given by Captain Cook.  This difference may perhaps be thus accounted for.  That great navigator finding, by the meridional observation taken on the day following the evening on which he passed this part of the coast, that a northerly current had prevailed in the last twenty-four hours, probably allowed a proportional part of it, to correct the situation of Point Lookout, as given by the log; whereas in reality the northerly current might have commenced only at the time that he opened the Moreton Bay entrance, and became exposed to the outset from it.  And it was by no means improbable, that, instead of a northerly, he might have had a southerly set, from the previous noon, when the latitude was 27 degrees 46 minutes to the time when he opened the entrance; in the same manner as it had prevailed the day before; when the observation was 17 minutes south of the log.