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At this time we were in the Latitude of 24 degrees 22 minutes South, and Sandy Cape bore South 1/2 East, distant 8 Leagues; but the Direction of the Shoal is nearest North-North-West and South-South-East. At this time we had 6 fathoms; the boat which was not above 1/4 of a mile to the Southward of us had little more than 5 fathoms.
A dark water-sky extended from east to south-south-east on the following morning, and the 'Endurance', working through loose pack at half speed, reached open water just before noon. A rampart berg 150 ft. high and a quarter of a mile long lay at the edge of the loose pack, and we sailed over a projecting foot of this berg into rolling ocean, stretching to the horizon.
Francis bearing west half north one mile, the east part of the road east by north, the castle on the south point south-west, and the west part of the Grand Canary south-south-east. A Spanish packet bound to Corunna, an American brig, and several other vessels, were lying here. To this I had a very polite answer from the governor, * that I should be supplied with whatever the island afforded.
The next morning, the island of Ternate bore south-south-east, and a little to the northward of it there appears to be a large and safe harbour, on the island of Gilolo, which now bore east by south five or six leagues distant. Ternate rises in a high conical mount; its latitude is 00° 50' north, and the longitude 127° 4' east.
At Noon we were between 3 and 4 Leagues from the Land and in the Latitude of 36 degrees 31 minutes and Longitude 185 degrees 50 minutes West. Cape Maria Van Diemen bore North 25 West, distant 44 1/2 Leagues. From this I form my judgment of the direction of this Coast, which is nearly South-South-East 3/4 East and North-North-West 3/4 West, and must be nearly a Strait Shore.
Fitzmaurice traced ten miles in a south-easterly direction, being the greatest distance it was navigable for a boat. The remaining branch in the large opening, in the south-eastern corner of the harbour, Mr. Forsyth and myself explored South-South-East three miles, and South-South-West five more, the extent to which it was possible to advance.
This he did, after looking for some moments at the sun; and, upon comparing the position with the compass, we were glad to see it at south-south-east, being pretty close to the course that we wished to steer. From Oomanoo, he said, we could procure another Veddah to guide us still farther; but he himself knew nothing more.
We were very desirous of coming nearer it, but were hindered by south-east and south-south-east winds. We called it the Isle of Pylstaart, because of the great number of that sort of birds we saw flying about it, and the next day we saw two other islands.
Barometer 28.75; thermometer 60 degrees at 5 p.m. 15th. Rested at Alexander Spring. Went for a walk to a flat-topped hill about South-South-East 50 chains from camp, which I have since named Mount Allott, and placed a cairn on it; another hill close by I named Mount Worsnop, after respectively the Mayor and Town Clerk of Adelaide.
The tides in the head of the Gulf of Carpentaria appear to be a compound of many others, obliterating the common daily difference, and producing only one tide in 24 hours. The direction of the flood stream commences at South-South-East, changing gradually to South-South-West as it terminates; that of the ebb changes from North-West to North-North-East.
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