July 28. Having a fresh breeze at E. S. E., the long boat was sent ahead,
and the ships followed, to the westward. They passed Turtle-backed
Island, the Cap, and the Brothers, on one side, and Nichols' Key on the
other: the soundings gradually shoaling from 12 to 7 fathoms. Upon the
Cap, Mr. Bampton "saw a volcano burning with great violence," which
induced him to give it the name of _Fire Island_; not knowing that it had
before been named. At noon, the Brothers, with the Cap and Turtle-backed
Island behind, bore S. E. by S. to S. ½ E. four miles; and Mount
Cornwallis N. 16° W.

The water continued to shoal; and at three p.m., the ships anchored in 5
fathoms, sand, shells, and stones; the Brothers bearing E. by S. ¼ S.
five leagues, and Mount Cornwallis N. by E. ¼ E. There were two large
islands in sight in the S. S. W. ¼ W. to S. W. ¼ S., at the distance of
eight or ten leagues; and many nearer reefs in the same direction.

July 29. The long boat was sent to sound in the north-west; and when the
ebb tide slacked, the ships followed: wind at E. S. E. The soundings
increased from 5 to 7 fathoms; and afterwards varied between these
depths, until noon; when the latitude observed was 9° 42' south.* The
Brothers then bore S. 64° E.; Mount Cornwallis N. 38° E; and a long, low
island (Turn-again., of Bligh,) N. 35° to 58° W. At three p.m. the reefs
were so numerous, that the ships were obliged to anchor, until the boats
could sound for a passage: the depth here was 4½ fathoms, on a bottom of
rotten stones and coral.

[* This latitude is from 4' to 6' more _south_ than captain Bligh's
positions; and the same difference occurs in all the observations, where
a comparison can be made.]