Captain Bampton had followed the coast of New Guinea thus far, in the
hope of finding a passage to the northward, between it and Louisiade; but
the trending of the land so far to the east, and the difficulty of
weathering it, from the current being adverse, obliged him to give up
that hope. A consultation was then held; and a determination made to
attempt the passage through the middle of Torres' Strait.

At the time the ships hauled their wind to the southward, the latitude
was 8° 3'; the longitude, from three distances of the sun and moon, 145°
23'; and the depth of water 40 fathoms, on a muddy bottom. They had no
soundings from that time to July 1, at one a.m.; when there was 35
fathoms. At daylight, land, which was the _Darnley's Island_ of captain
Bligh, bore S. W. by S. seven or eight leagues; a dry sand was seen in
the W. N. W., (probably W. S. W.); and a reef, which appears to have been
that of Anchor Key, was six or seven miles distant in the S. E. At four
in the afternoon, when Darnley's Island bore W. by N. ½ N. five leagues,
and Murray's Island S. E. ½ E. (probably S. S. E. ½ E.) the ships
anchored in 22 fathoms, marly bottom; and the boats were sent towards the
first Island to sound, and see if it were inhabited. The latitude
observed at this anchorage, was 9° 40' south, and longitude from three
distances of the sun and moon 142° 58' 30" east.

July 2. The boats returned. Between the ships and the island, they had
passed over five different reefs, separated by narrow channels of 11 to
14 fathoms deep. The natives of the island came down in considerable
numbers; and exchanged some bows and arrows, for knives and other
articles. They were stout men; and somewhat above the common size of
Europeans. Except in colour, which was not of so deep a cast, they bore
much resemblance to the natives of Port Jackson; and had scars raised
upon their bodies in the same manner. The men were entirely naked; but