I was preparing the artificial horizon for observing the latitude, when a party of seven or eight natives broke out in exclamation upon the bank above us, holding up their open hands to show they were unarmed.  We were three in number, and, besides a pocket pistol, had two muskets.  These they made no objection to our bringing, and we sat down in the midst of the party.  It consisted entirely of young men, who were better made, and cleaner in their persons than the natives of Port Jackson usually are; and their countenances bespoke both good will and curiosity, though mixed with some degree of apprehension.  Their curiosity was mostly directed to our persons and dress, and constantly drew off their attention from our little presents, which seemed to give but a momentary pleasure.  The approach of the sun to the meridian calling me down to the beach, our visitors returned into the woods, seemingly well satisfied with what they had seen.  We could perceive no arms of any kind amongst them; but I knew these people too well not to be assured that their spears were lying ready, and that it was prudent to keep a good lookout upon the woods, to prevent surprise whilst taking the observation.

Oct. 12.  We sailed in the afternoon, with a breeze from the eastward; but a return of the wind to south-west, with threatening weather, induced me to bear up again in the evening; and we anchored on the south side of the bay.  This part is not so well sheltered as Snug Cove, for the Nautilus was not quite land-locked in 3 fathoms water.  The weather became very bad in the night; and, being no better on the 13th, the two vessels were completed with wood, and the country further explored; a few more bearings were also added to our materials for laying down a plan of the bay, and thus terminated our examination.

The latitude of Snug Cove on the north-west side of Two-fold Bay, and by much the best anchorage in it, is 37 deg. 4’ south.  The longitude, from two sets of distances of the sun west of the moon, deducting 161/2’ for the errors of the tables, was 150 deg. 3’ east of Greenwich.  The variation of the azimuth compass observed on the beach, was 9 deg. 29’ and of the surveying theodolite 11 deg. 81/2’ east.  My haste to complete the survey did not allow of much attention being paid to the tides; but it was high water about nipte??? hours after the moon passed over the meridian, and the general rise from six to eight feet.

Two-fold Bay is not, of itself, worthy of particular interest; but as nothing larger than boats can find shelter in any other part of this coast, from Jervis Bay, in latitude 35 deg. 6’, round to Corner Inlet, or to Furneaux’s Isles in 401/2 deg., it thereby becomes of importance to whalers, and to other ships passing along the coast.