tide setting to the northward, and at two it had fallen nine feet; after this it began to rise, and the flood came from the northward, in the direction of the islands which lay out to sea; a plain indication that there was no passage to the N.W.  This however had not appeared at day-break, when we got under sail and stood to the N.W.  At eight o’clock in the morning, we discovered low land quite across what we took for an opening, which proved to be a bay, about five or six leagues deep; upon this we hauled our wind to the eastward round the north point of the bay, which at this time bore from us N.E. by N. distant four leagues:  From this point we found the land trend away N. by W. 1/2 W. and a streight or passage between it and a large island, or islands, lying parallel to it.  Having the tide of ebb in our favour, we stood for this passage; and at noon were just within the entrance:  Our latitude by observation was 20 deg. 26’ S.; Cape Hillsborough bore S. by E. distant ten leagues; and the north point of the bay S. 19 W. distant four miles.  This point, which I named Cape Conway, lies in latitude 26 deg. 36’ S., longitude 211 deg. 28’ W.; and the bay which lies between this Cape and Cape Hillsborough I called Repulse Bay.  The greatest depth of water which we found in it was thirteen fathom, and the least eight.  In all parts there was safe anchorage, and I believe, that upon proper examination, some good harbours would be found in it; especially at the north side within Cape Conway; for just within that Cape there lie two or three small islands, which alone would shelter that side of the bay from the southerly and southeasterly winds, that seem to prevail here as a Trade.  Among the many islands that lie upon this coast, there is one more remarkable than the rest; it is of a small circuit, very high and peaked, and lies E. by S. ten miles from Cape Conway, at the south end of the passage.  In the afternoon, we steered through this passage, which we found to be from three to seven miles broad, and eight or nine leagues in length, N. by W. 1/2 W., S. by E. 1/2 E. It is formed by the main on the west, and by the islands on the east, one of which is at least five leagues in length:  Our depth of water in running through was from twenty to five-and-twenty fathom, with good anchorage everywhere, and the whole passage may be considered as one safe harbour, exclusive of the small bays and coves which abound on each side, where ships might lie as in a bason.  The land both upon the main and islands is high, and diversified by hill and valley, wood and lawn, with a green and pleasant appearance.  On one of the islands we discovered with our glasses two men and a woman, and a canoe with an outrigger, which appeared to be larger, and of a construction very different from those of bark tied together at the ends, which we had seen upon other parts of the coast; we hoped therefore that the people here had made some farther advances beyond mere animal life than those that we had seen before.