was no more than four feet; but upon the rocky islet in the northern
entrance, there were marks of its having risen the double of that
quantity. The time of high water was not well ascertained, but it will be
between eight and nine hours after the moon's passage over and under the
meridian.

MONDAY 9 AUGUST 1902

On getting under way at daylight of the 9th, to prosecute the examination
of the coast, the anchor came up with an arm broken off, in consequence
of a flaw extending two-thirds through the iron. The negligence with
which this anchor had been made, might in some cases have caused the loss
of the ship.

[EAST COAST. KEPPEL BAY.]

In following the low and rather sandy shore, northward to Cape Capricorn,
we passed within a rocky islet and another composed of rock and sand,
four miles south-east of the cape, the soundings being there from 8 to 9
fathoms; and at ten o'clock hauled round for Cape Keppel, which lies from
Cape Capricorn N. 80° W., ten miles. The shore is low, with some small
inlets in it, and sand banks with shoal water run off more than two
miles; at six miles out there is a hummocky island and four rocks, one of
which was at first taken for a ship. We passed within these, as captain
Cook had before done; and at half past two in the afternoon anchored in
Keppel Bay, in 6 fathoms soft bottom, three-quarters of a mile from a
head on the east side of the entrance.

My object in stopping at this bay was to explore two openings marked in
it by captain Cook, which it was possible might be the entrances of