The wind having veered to east-north-east, we kept to the northward all night, under easy sail; and at daylight [SATURDAY 6 FERBRUARY 1802], the lands around us were in the following bearings: 

I. St. Francis, the largest southern cliffs, N. 80 deg.  W.
Lacy’s Isle, centre, N. 57 W.
Evans’ Isle, centre, N. 43 W.
Franklin’s Isles, extremes, N. 29 deg. to 10 W.
Point Brown, south extremity, N. 65 E.
Cape Bauer, north extremity, S. 78 E.
Olive’s Island, centre, S. 67 E.
Cliffy Head beyond Point Westall, S. 45 E.

All sail was made to fetch between Franklin’s Isles and Point Brown, in order to follow the course of the main land as close as possible; but finding, after several tacks, the impossibility of weathering the isles, we bore away; and at noon hauled up north-north-east round them.  The wind was light at east, and the weather fine over head; but there was so dense a haze below that, the true horizon could not be distinguished from several false ones, and we had six or seven different latitudes from as many observers:  those taken by me to the north and south differed 19 minutes.  This dense haze, from its great refractive power, altered the appearance of objects in a surprising manner:  a sandy beach seemed to be a chalky cliff, and the lowest islands to have steep shores.  The thermometer stood, at this time, at 82 deg. and the barometer at 29.60 inches.

On the north side of Point Brown the shore formed a large open bay, into which we hauled up as much as the wind would permit, passing near to a reef of rocks and breakers, two miles to the north-north-east of Franklin’s Isles.  At half-past two the water had shoaled to 5 fathoms; and not being able to distinguish any inlet, we then bore away westward along the land.  The number of smokes rising from the shores of this wide, open place induced me to give it the name of SMOKY BAY.

At four o’clock we passed the small opening which had been unsuccessfully attempted in the evening of the 4th, and hauled up northward under the lee of the island forming its western side.  The mainland then came in sight ahead; but between it and the islands was a space five or six miles wide, which had the appearance of being the entrance to a river.  No land was visible to the north-east; and besides quantities of grass and branches of trees or bushes floating in the water, there was a number of long, gauze-winged insects topping about the surface, such as frequent fresh-water lakes and swamps.  In order to form a judgment of how much fresh was mixed with the salt water, or whether any, I had some taken up for the purpose of ascertaining its specific gravity; but before the experiment could be made, the depth diminished to 3 fathoms, and low land was distinguished nearly all round.  We then veered ship; and at seven o’clock came to an anchor in 6 fathoms, off a small beach on the north side of the western and smallest island, being sheltered at all points except between S. 58 deg. and N. 80 deg.  W.