We Kept On East Expecting It
Would Soon Blow A Gale And A Heavy Sea Up.
I much lament not having as
yet had it in my power from the series of unfavourable weather we have
had so exactly to comply with the Commander-in-Chief's orders as I could
have wished.
"Monday, January 25th. From noon till half-past 1 P.M. we run due east 8
miles, we then saw from masthead Hunter's Islands bearing (the middle of
them) south-south-east distant 5 or 6 leagues...Under the lee of Three
Hummock Island in smooth water we laid under easy sail off and on all
night - found the tides here to run very strong. In the morning I sent
boat on shore with the First Mate and 2 hands, by noon they returned
having shot 2 ducks and found a spring of water, some small kangaroo were
seen but not worth shooting even could they have been got at. The
footsteps of a man were seen on shore, perhaps one of the Harrington's
Lascars as the foot was measured and found very small. The shores of this
island are bold rock and some dangerous reefs lie off it, one of which (a
sunken one) we did not escape by 10 yards...Lady Nelson's Reef is
east-south-east and west-north-west distance about 30 miles in Latitude
40 degrees 20 minutes 30 seconds south and Longitude by Time-keeper 145
degrees 40 minutes 53 seconds, it has many sandy bights in it where I
would not scruple to anchor in south-south-west, south-east and east
winds.
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