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Updated: June 9, 2025
From the topmast-head not a speck of land could be seen, to denote that there was the slightest impediment to his further progress into the great South Sea. He had now practically demonstrated that it was possible to sail to the east by way of the west.
Bob and Winter were up by daybreak to dress the schooner out with the flags of the old Amazon, in addition to a bran-new burgee red, with a white border, and the name Ada, after my sister, in white letters which floated gallantly in the breeze from the main- topmast-head, and which, I need scarcely inform the sagacious reader, was the work of Ella's skilful fingers.
"I see," he said; "it's springing up from the south'ard;" and, pacing the deck to and fro, he would also turn his eyes to the topmast-head every time he reached the quarter-deck of the vessel, to mark if the night-flag moved. Standing, at last, close to the helmsman, "How's her head?" he asked. "North, a quarter east, Sir," replied the man.
This was done; but no notice was taken aboard the chase; the next shot therefore was let drive slap at her, care being taken to fire high, with the result that the shot passed through the head of her fore-topsail and only very narrowly missed the topmast-head.
"Ay, ay, sir," I replied, touching my hat; and five minutes later I was sitting in the main-topmast cross-trees, with the long barrel of the telescope steadied against the topmast-head, and my eye glued to the eye-piece.
A very brief survey made the experienced officer acquainted with the true character of the vessel in sight; and, replacing the glass with much coolness, he said: "That fellow shows long arms, and ten teeth, besides King George's pennant from his topmast-head.
There were three or four rocky islands about a league from us, between us and the Bluff point, and we saw many other islands both to the east and west of it, as far as we could see either way from our topmast-head, and all within them to the south there was nothing but islands of a pretty height, that may be seen eight or nine leagues off; by what we saw of them they must have been a range of islands of about twenty leagues in length, stretching from east- north-east to west-south-west, and, for aught I know, as far as to those of Shark's Bay, and to a considerable breadth also, for we could see nine or ten leagues in among them, towards the continent or mainland of New Holland, if there be any such thing hereabouts; and by the great tides I met with awhile afterwards, more to the north-east, I had a strong suspicion that here might be a kind of archipelago of islands, and a passage possibly to the south of New Holland and New Guinea into the great South Sea eastward, which I had thoughts also of attempting in my return from New Guinea, had circumstances permitted, and told my officers so; but I would not attempt it at this time, because we wanted water, and could not depend upon finding it there.
A roar of laughter from below saluted this sally, for the Duke and Sturleson had met, and had watched together the progress of the joke. "I will take the risk," replied Claudius, who had retired again to the crosstrees. "I am going to put it on the topmast-head, so that you may have a good look at it."
The 27th day we had 20 fathom water all night, yet we could not see land till 1 in the afternoon from our topmast-head. By 3 we could just discern land from our quarter-deck; we had then 16 fathom.
Ever since we left Shark's Bay we had fair clear weather, and so for a great while still. The 27th day we had twenty fathom water all night, yet we could not see land till one in the afternoon from our topmast-head. By three we could just discern land from our quarter-deck; we had then sixteen fathom.
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