At four a.m. of the 20th, we had twenty-five fathoms, steering E. till noon, when our latitude was 5 deg. 55’ S. our course having been twenty leagues E. northerly, and our depth was now thirty-five fathoms.  From noon we steered E. by S. Early in the morning of the 29th, having the wind at W. by N. we steered E. by S. and had no ground with forty fathoms line; but at noon we found fifty-two fathoms, with many overfalls.  Our latitude was this day at noon 6 deg. 9’ S. our course twenty-eight leagues E. by S. the wind W. and W. by N. and a current setting to the westwards.  We steered E. and in the afternoon had no ground with 100 fathoms.

The 30th, in the morning, our latitude was 5 deg. 57’ S. our longitude from Bantam 224 leagues E. our course E. northerly twenty-eight leagues, the overfalls continuing, but had no ground at 100 fathoms.  At three p.m. we had sight from the topmast-head of a low flat island, bearing N.E. by N. five or six leagues off, full of trees.  We had eighteen fathoms water, and the next cast eighty-five fathoms.  We steered E. by S. and at four p.m. the island bore N. by E. half a point N. three or four leagues off.  We then had sight of two other low flat islands, one opening to the eastwards, and the other to the westwards, so that the first seen lay in the middle between them.  At six p.m. that first seen island bearing N. half a point E. we sounded, and had no ground at eighty fathoms.  We steered E. by S. constantly throwing the lead, in regard to the overfalls or ripplings, which were very fearful, yet had no ground at sixty fathoms.

At day-break of the 31st, we had sight of Celebes, its western extremity rising like an island, and the outermost high land bearing E. by N. six leagues off, our latitude 5 deg. 52’ S. our course E. northerly sixteen leagues, and a current setting N.W.  At sun-set we took in our sails, that we might not overshoot the straits of Desalon, called Solore by the natives.[424] Keeping our lead going all night, while under easy sail, we had first twenty fathoms, the high land being then north, and drove thence into thirty-three and forty-seven fathoms, fearing a shoal about two-thirds of a league from Celebes, on which the sea breaks at low-water.  The passage, or straits, on the Celebes side, is very dangerous, and full of sunken ground, wherefore we hauled off to the Desalon side, giving it a good birth, having a peaked hill next the sea-side, rising like an island.  When you are to the westward, this hill bears N.N.E.  When it bears north, then you are athwart the west end of the shoal, and then will the island on your starboard-hand bear E.N.E. so that you may boldly steer through in the middle between the two islands.  When the peaked hill bears N. by W. then you are athwart the east end.  This east end of Desalon shews like an island, and will deceive you till you come to it; but when you have brought the north end of the point E.N.E. you may be bold, as being now clear of the before-mentioned shoal.  It is about four leagues between these islands, and we came within half a mile of the island on our starboard.  While going through, the wind took us suddenly short, but on sounding, we had no ground at fifty-five fathoms.