CHAPTER 2.
Examination of Rowley's Shoals, and Passage to the North Coast.
Survey of Goulburn Islands, Mountnorris and Raffles Bays.
Meet a Malay Fleet, and communicate with one of the Proas.
Explore Port Essington.
Attacked by Natives in Knocker's Bay.
Anchor in Popham Bay.
Visit from the Malays.
Examination of Van Diemen's Gulf, including Sir George Hope's Islands and Alligator Rivers.
Survey of the Northern Shore of Melville Island, and Apsley Strait.
Interview with the Natives of Luxmore Head.
Procure wood at Port Hurd.
Natives.
Clarence Strait.
Leave the Coast, and arrival at Timor.
1818.

March 6.
The south-east wind, which set in on the morning that we left our anchorage off Depuch Island, continued to blow with thick misty weather, and made us conjecture that the westerly monsoon was nearly expended; we, therefore, steered off the coast with the intention of proceeding to the eastward towards Cape Arnhem, after ascertaining the position of a shoal that was seen by Captain Rowley, in H.M.S.Imperieuse, in 1800, and of two others that are described by Captain Horsburgh to be in its vicinity.
They are situated according to the above authorities as follows, namely: Imperieuse Shoal (south end): latitude 17 degrees 35 minutes, longitude 118 degrees 37 minutes.
Shoal seen by the ship Good Hope (north end): latitude 17 degrees 47 1/2 minutes, longitude 119 degrees 18 minutes.
Shoal seen by Captain Clerke (north part): latitude 17 degrees 28 minutes, longitude 119 degrees 2 minutes.
The last is described by its discoverer, to be 230 miles North 49 1/2 degrees East (Magnetic) from the north part of Rosemary Island, which would assign to that island a situation in 20 degrees 6 minutes latitude, and 116 degrees 6 minutes longitude; but on this parallel there is no land to the westward of 118 degrees 40 minutes.

The shoal, according to Captain Horsburgh's account, is 264 miles North, 49 degrees East (true) from Trimouille Island, the north-easternmost of the Montebello Group, which must be the one taken by Captain Clerke for Rosemary Island.
March 6 to 12.
After leaving the land, the weather was very dull and damp for six days, during which the wind being light and baffling prevented any progress.
Fortunately we were free from sickness, otherwise the heavy rains that fell would have caused a considerable inconvenience to the crew, by confining them to the same small cabin with the sick.

Happily, however, I heard of no complaints.
March 13.
And on the 13th at noon, the weather began to clear up with a freshening breeze from the South-East, and soon veered to a steady wind from South-South-West.
March 14.
We then steered East to make the shoal, and at sunset the next evening it was seen about three miles off, when we sounded with 170 fathoms of line without getting bottom.
March 15.
During the night we stood off to the westward, and early in the morning made the shoal again: at noon, it was close to us, at which time our latitude was by observation 17 degrees 33 minutes 12 seconds, from which I deduce the situation of the north end of the shoal to be in: Latitude 17 degrees 31 minutes 24 seconds: Longitude 118 degrees 50 minutes 30 seconds: the longitude being ascertained by chronometers from Depuch Island, corrected afterwards for our arrival at the north coast.
On rounding the north end of the shoal, soundings were ineffectually tried for, with 120 fathoms: soon afterwards, we bore up on an eastern course, and in the evening saw another extensive shoal; within two miles of the south end of which we sounded with 170 fathoms of line without reaching the bottom.
The south end of the second shoal, is in: Latitude 7 degrees 28 minutes 5 seconds: Longitude 119 degrees 18 minutes 00 seconds: It stretches in a North-West direction for seven or eight miles, and to the eastward the breakers extended beyond the masthead horizon; its limit, therefore, in the latter direction, remained undetermined.
March 16.
The next morning a third shoal was discovered, the south-east end of which, is in: Latitude 17 degrees 12 minutes: Longitude 119 degrees 35 minutes.
These dangerous reefs were named Rowley's Shoals, in compliment to the discoverer of the westernmost (the Imperieuse), the situation of which is assigned by me to be 13 minutes 30 seconds to the eastward of Captain Rowley's account: the middle shoal, seen by us last evening, is certainly the one that Captain Clerke saw; but the third or north-easternmost, distinguished by the Mermaid's name, seems to be a new discovery.
On the north end of the Imperieuse shoal rocks were distinguishable, and some were also seen near its centre above the level of the sea: all other parts were under water.

On the middlemost shoal no rocks were uncovered; but on the south-east end of the Mermaid's Shoal several were observed.
These reefs are of a coral formation, and are very dangerous to approach at night, from their vicinity being unfathomable to the depth of 170 fathoms; still, however, the surf that constantly breaks upon them may be heard at a great distance, and will generally be sufficient to warn the navigator of his danger.
March 23.
On the 23rd we passed the meridian of Cape Van Diemen, in latitude 10 degrees 48 minutes.