Whilst passing round the north end of Furneaux’s Islands, I experienced how little dependence was to be put in compass bearings, in such, at least, as were taken with my best instrument, the steering compass of the schooner.  The south extreme of the inner Sister shut on with the north-west point of the great island at E. 3/4 S., magnetic bearing; but after passing round, they shut, on the other side, at W. by N. 1/4 N.; so that, to produce an agreement, it was necessary to allow half a point more east variation on the first, when the schooner’s head was N. by W., than on the last, when it was S. S. E. In a second instance, the north end of the outer Sister opened from the inner one at N. E. 1/2 N.; but they came on again at S. W. 1/2 W., making a difference of a whole point, when the head was N. by W. and E. S. E. These bearings were probably not correct within two or three degrees; but they showed that a change in the course steered produced an alteration in the compass.

The observed latitude at noon was 39 deg. 50 1/3’, the centre of the outer Sister bore N. 34 deg.  W., nearly five leagues, and our distance from the sandy, eastern shore of the great island was about six miles.  At two, o’clock, we came up with an island of three miles in length, and nearly the same space distant from a sandy projection of the great island.  The passage between them is much contracted by shoal spits of sand which run out from each side; and it seemed doubtful, whether the water were deep enough in any part of the channel to admit a ship.  The form of the land here is somewhat remarkable:  upon the low projection of the great island there are three pyramidal hills, which obtained the name of the Patriarchs, and stand apart from the more western high land; and upon the south-west end of the island opposite there is also a pyramid, which, with other hills near it, presents some resemblance to the Lion’s Head and Rump at the Cape of Good Hope.  This island and two rocky islets lying off its south-east end were afterwards called the Babel Isles.  The largest is covered with tufted grass and brush wood; and the whole appeared to be much frequented by shags, sooty petrels, and other sea birds.

We had scarcely passed the Babel Isles, when the wind, which had been at W. by S., chopped round to the southward, with squally weather, and drove the schooner off to the north-east.  In the night, it became less unfavourable; and at noon of the 10th, our latitude was 40 deg. 31/2’; the isles bore N. 78 deg.  W., three or four leagues, and the high land of Cape Barren S. 13 deg. to 34 deg.  W. Having a fair wind in the afternoon, we passed along the outskirts of the Bay of Shoals, without perceiving any breakers; but in the space between the great island and the land of Cape Barren there were many rocks, and a low island of three or four miles long, with a hill in the middle, lay at the entrance of the opening.