At noon
the rocks on the shoal bore north-west a little westerly distant 2 miles.
Received additional instructions signals and cd. from Captain Flinders.*
(* "I sent a boat with instructions to Lieutenant Murray...in case of our
separation." Flinders.)
"Thursday, October 7th. Stood on after the Investigator and weathered the
last-mentioned reef of coral. At half-past 4 A.M. weighed and made sail
to the south-east. At half-past 10 A.M. saw a reef of coral ahead,
several parts of which were above water considerably much like the
appearance of boats under sail.* (* "Upon these reefs were more of the
dry black lumps called negro heads." Flinders.)
"Friday October 8th. At half-past 5 P.M. tacked to the northward, reefs
still in sight. At 9 A.M. tacked after the Commodore, a reef of coral
rock bearing east to east-north-east distant 4 or 4 1/2 miles. At noon
the Investigator bore north by east distant 1 1/2 miles, a shoal of sand
apparently bearing north distant 5 or 6 miles, another bearing north-east
by north distant 4 miles and a small rock on an extensive shoal of sand
east by south distant 1 1/2 miles, this shoal seems to stretch a long way
from east-south-east to north-east. Latitude observed 20 degrees 54
minutes 42 seconds south.
"Saturday, October 9th. From 2 P.M. until 3 (after having weathered the
East point of this shoal) we ran along its other side. At half-past 5
P.M. came to. From the mast-head shoals in every direction. At half-past
5 A.M. weighed in company with the Commodore and stood to the north-east.
9 A.M. Perceiving a strong ripple close to us and supposing it to be
shoal water let go our kedge and made the signal of danger to the
Commodore who also came to and sent his boats to sound as did we but
found no less than 15 fathoms. At 11 A.M. the Investigator's whale-boat
made the signal for shoal water and the Commodore made the signal to
anchor which we immediately did in 22 fathoms, bottom small coral and
shells. The Investigator also anchored. We found ourselves within a
cable's length of a shoal and all round shoals of sand and extensive
coral reefs. Latitude observed 20 degrees 51 minutes 38 seconds south.
"Sunday, October 10th. P.M. Sent the boat to examine the reefs of coral
near us. At 4 P.M. the boat returned on board; found the coral to be of
many different colours - blue, yellow, green, and in short in every colour
we know of - found some very large cockles and a few small shells - found
the tide to ebb to run due north-east not less than 2 1/2 knots but when
it sallys over the flats and reefs it may be 5 knots.
