From Nuyts' Archipelago.]
TERRA AUSTRALIS.
121
1802.
February.
Wednes. 10.
At five in the morning we steered for the land; and soon afterward Cape Radstock was in sight, bearing N. 57° E., five leagues. The latitude of this cape is 33° 12′ south, and longitude 134° 15′ east. Other cliffy heads came in sight as we advanced eastward; and at seven, the appearance of an opening induced me to steer close in; but it proved to be a bight full of rocks, with low land behind. The line of the projecting parts of the coast is nearly east from Cape Radstock, for four leagues; and at the end of them is a cliffy point which received the name of
Point Weyland. Round this point, an opening was seen of so promising an appearance that I bore away north and north-east, for it, although land was in sight as far as east-south-east. Before noon, the greater part of the open space was found to be occupied by low land; and no more of the opening remained than a small inlet through the beach, leading, apparently, into a lagoon, the water of which was distinguished from the mast head. This inlet was fit only to receive boats; and therefore we hauled the wind to the southward, when the sandy shore near it was distant two-and-half-miles on one side, and Point Weyland one mile and a half on the other. The latitude of this point is 33° 14′ south, and longitude 134° 32′ east. As the day advanced the wind veered to south-west, and there being a swell from the same quarter, we could do no more than make a south-east-by-south course, parallel with the shore. At three o'clock, the main land was seen to extend out beyond what the ship could fetch; there were besides, two islands lying still further out, and a third was perceived in the offing, almost directly to windward. The two first received the name of
Waldegrave's Isles, and the latter with some rocks near it were called
Top-gallant Isles. Our distance from the sandy shore was then barely a league; and coming into 7 fathoms water soon afterward, we tacked, hoping to weather Cape Radstock; but finding this to be impossible, were constrained to pass the night in working to windward in the bay. The weather was squally with rain, but our situation made it necessary to carry all possible sail;
