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. At half-past 4 P.M.
weighed and sent the boat ahead to tow and got our sweeps on. At 45
minutes past 5 A.M. made sail in company with the Commodore stood on
ahead with the Investigator's boat ahead of us sounding. This morning we
passed a great deal of suspicious water but saw no rocks or shoals dry.
"Monday, October 11th. Stood on ahead of the Investigator broken water
and reefs on both sides of us. At half-past 4 P.M. saw some very
extensive reefs ahead, they seemed to train as far aft as our beam one
each side of us. An appearance of an opening shows itself to the
west-north-west as also one to the North, all else is broken water, reefs
of coral and patches of coarse whitish sand or more probably coral.
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