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All the available English warships of the North Sea squadron had advanced to attack Antwerp. Since the transport fleet did not appear to need reinforcements, it proceeded on its way west-north-west with its attendant warships, the Wilhelmshaven fleet remaining at Heligoland. What was its destination? Only a few among the many thousands could have given an answer, and they remained silent.
We passed the night miserably wet and cold and in the morning I heard heavy complaints. The sea was high and breaking over us. I could only afford the allowance of bread and water for breakfast, but for dinner I gave out an ounce of dried clams to each person, which was all that remained. At noon I altered the course to the west-north-west to keep more from the sea, as the wind blew strong.
The Mitchell came from the eastward, and took its course to the west-north-west. At the sudden bends of the river, the bergue was interrupted by gullies, and occasionally by deep creeks, which seemed, however, only to have a short course, and to be the outlets of the waters collecting on the flats and stiff plains at some distance from the river.
At 6 it extended from West-North-West to North-North-East, distant 4 or 5 Leagues.
The little crayfish was a "sure indication of land"; a tunny fish, killed by the company on the Nina, was taken to be an indication from the west, "where I hope in that exalted God, in whose hands are all victories, that land will very soon appear"; they saw another ringtail, "which is not accustomed to sleep on the sea"; two pelicans came to the ship, "which was an indication that land was near"; a large dark cloud appeared to the north, "which is a sign that land is near"; they saw one day a great deal of grass, "although the previous day they had not seen any"; they took a bird with their hands which was like a jay; "it was a river bird and not a sea bird"; they saw a whale, "which is an indication that they are near land, because they always remain near it"; afterwards a pelican came from the west-north-west and went to the south-east, "which was an indication that it left land to the west-north-west, because these birds sleep on land and in the morning they come to the sea in search of food, and do not go twenty leagues from land."
Afterward we saw a smoke on the island Kosiway, which continued all night. On New Year's Day we first descried the land of New Guinea, which appeared to be high land; and the next day we saw several high islands on the coast of New Guinea, and ran in with the mainland. The shore here lies along east-south-east and west-north-west.
At one mile and a half again came upon small gums; and at three miles, seeing neither creek nor any hope of getting water, camped. The horses very tired. Wind light from west-north-west. Latitude, 18 degrees 3 minutes 19 seconds. Thursday, 2nd May, Large Scrubby and Grassy Plain.
This being Close under Cape Upstart, I judged that it was owing to Iron ore or other Magnetical Matter Lodged in the Earth. Wednesday, 6th. Light Airs at East-South-East, with which we Steer'd West-North-West as the Land now lay; Depth of Water 12 and 14 fathoms.
Bynoe also obtained specimens of one or two rare birds; the large red-necked vampire of the Adelaide River, and the cream-coloured pigeon before alluded to, were also seen by him, being the farthest south the latter was met with by us. Some brilliant meteors were observed during our stay, one in particular on the evening of the 20th, in the West-North-West.
At 6 we Anchor'd in 10 fathoms, Sandy bottom, about 2 Miles from the Main Land, the Westermost part of which bore West-North-West, having still a Number of Islands in sight a long way without us. At 5 a.m.
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