At sun rise we found the Variation to be 6 degrees 45 minutes East.

In steering along shore between the Island and the Main, at the Distance of 2 Leagues from the Latter, and 3 or 4 from the former, our soundings were Regular, from 12 to 9 fathoms; but about 11 o'Clock we were again embarrassed with Shoal Water,* (* Blackwood Shoals.) but got clear without letting go an Anchor; we had at one time not quite 3 fathoms.

At Noon we were about 2 Leagues from the Main land, and about 4 from the Islands without us; our Latitude by Observation was 20 degrees 56 minutes South, Longitude made from Cape Palmerston 16 degrees West; a pretty high Promontory, which I named Cape Hillsborough,* (* Earl of Hillsborough was the First Secretary of State for the Colonies, and President of the Board of Trade when the Endeavour sailed.) bore West 1/2 North, distant 7 Miles.

The Main Land is here pretty much diversified with Mountains, Hills, plains, and Vallies, and seem'd to be tollerably Cloathed with Wood and Verdure.

These Islands, which lay Parrallel with the Coast, and from 5 to 8 or 9 Leagues off, are of Various Extent, both for height and Circuit; hardly any Exceeds 5 Leagues in Circuit, and many again are very small.* (* The Cumberland Islands.
They stretch along the coast for 60 miles.) Besides the Chain of Islands, which lay at a distance from the Coast, there are other Small Ones laying under the Land.