_Variation_ of the theodolite on Harbour Rock,1° 13' east. And except in the doubtful instance of the iron-stone shore on the south-east side of the bay, the bearings in other parts did not differ more than 20' from it. The greatest rise of _tide_ here, according to the marks on shore, did not seem to have exceeded eight feet. High water took place nearly five hours before, and _seven hours after_ the moon's passage over the meridian; which is nearly two hours and a half earlier than in Caledon Bay, as that is earlier than in Blue-mud Bay, further south in the gulph. [NORTH COAST. GULPH OF CARPENTARIA.] WEDNESDAY 16 FEBRUARY 1803 At two in the afternoon of the 16th, the wind being moderate at N. N. W., we worked out of Melville Bay; and anchored at dusk, five miles from the entrance in 13 fathoms, sand and mud. Next morning [THURSDAY 17 FEBRUARY 1803], in following the line of the western shore with a breeze off the land, we passed three rocks lying out from a point under Mount Bonner; and further on, six or seven miles short of Cape Wilberforce, there was a small shallow opening. From the north part of this cliffy cape, a chain of islands and rocks extends out three or four leagues to the E. N. E., which I call _Bromby's Isles_, after my worthy friend the Rev. John Bromby of Hull. One of these is cliffy, and two miles long; the rest are smaller, and the whole seemed to be connected by rocks under water; but between Cape Wilberforce and the nearest islet was a space three-quarters of a mile wide, towards which we worked up against a fresh wind at W. N. W. At noon, the two cliffy parts of the cape bore S. ¼ E. and W. ¼ N., from one to two miles; and the latter, which is the north extremity, was ascertained to lie in 11° 52' south, and 136° 33' east.