"Friday, 15th January. Moderate fair weather. At 3 P.M. tacked in shore and at 4 P.M. shortened sail and stood off and on within 2 or 3 miles of the sand bluffs; lowered gig and sent the First Mate in her on shore to examine this part of the island, found the variation to be 8 degrees 54 minutes east. At half-past 6 P.M. the boat got on board. Mr. Bowen told me that there was a very high surf on the beach, that those bluffs were entirely sand, no shells were on the beach--inland he said the soil was good--he found no water here, some kangaroo were seen but could not be got at, the officer shot one but it got away; he said that on going up one of the trees he perceived inland a large sheet of water which he thinks must have some entrance into it from the other side of the island. I rather think it a lagoon or swamp, nevertheless we will give the other side of the island a strict search when wind and weather will permit us to go round. "Saturday, 16th January. At quarter past 4 A.M. breeze from north-east, hazy weather and rain, stood in for Elephant Rock. At half-past 5 A.M. made sail down the coast of island to the southward, surveying it and sounding every half-hour...From 10 to 11 A.M. standing in for land. The weather at this time cleared a little and from the masthead a low point seemed to form a kind of entrance...into a deep bight or bay, a reef of rocks was also seen to the westward of it. Stood in pretty close along the edge of the reef and sent Mr. Bowen in the gig to overhaul the place. Observed the rocks of this reef to be full of seals, sea horses and elephants. The appearance of this place being favourable...stood further in and perceived it was a deep bay.