The breakers from the masthead, bearing south-east, distant eight or nine miles.
During the ensuing night, having a fresh breeze, we stood first to the westward, and afterwards to the south-east.
July 17.
At seven o'clock the next morning no land was in sight, but breakers were seen extending from South by West to South-West by South, about five miles off; and two miles beyond them was another line of breakers, bearing from South-South-West to South-West by West.

As we steered obliquely towards them, they were noticed to extend still farther to the eastward, but apparently in detached patches; our soundings, as we stood on, shoaled to fifteen fathoms; and we were shortly within half a mile of an appearance of shoal-water, in thirteen fathoms on a rocky bottom.

The wind now began to lessen; and, for fear of being becalmed, I was anxious to get an offing.

By our observations, we found the breakers this morning were connected with those passed yesterday, and are a part of Baudin's Holothurie Banks.

The French charts of this part are very vague and incorrect; for our situation at noon upon their plan (with respect to the position of Cassini Island) was in the centre of their reefs.
At noon we were in 13 degrees 38 minutes South, when a freshening breeze from South-East enabled us to make progress to the southward.