It was one of those evenings when everything is quiet and sound travels a long distance.

Did you tell him of the rapids in the distance?

At noon the sea-wind rushes in towards the land, and generally blows fresh from East; at sunset it veers to the North-East, and falls calm, which lasts the whole night, so that if a ship, making a course, does not keep at a moderate distance from the land, she is subject to delay; she would not, however, probably have so fresh a breeze in the day time.

The point is wooded to within a short distance of the sea, as is generally the case with the shores of this coast.

CAPE GROSE, in latitude 12 degrees 32 minutes 40 seconds, and longitude 131 degrees 26 minutes, is the western head of Paterson Bay: it is fronted by reefs that extend for a considerable distance into the sea; their extremity is nearly nine miles north from the cape.

CAPE FORD, in latitude 13 degrees 24 minutes 35 seconds, longitude 130 degrees 52 minutes 20 seconds, has a reef projecting for three miles from it: hence the coast trends round to the southward for thirty miles to a bay, which also has a small opening at the bottom; five miles inland there is a range of hills, on which two, of flat-topped summits, are conspicuous; and, at a distance, assume the appearance of islands.

Between Cape Hay, in latitude 14 degrees 1 minute 30 seconds, and longitude 130 degrees 27 minutes 30 seconds, and POINT PEARCE, in latitude 14 degrees 28 minutes 30 seconds, longitude 130 degrees 17 minutes 15 seconds, the coast is still low, and was only seen at a distance.

Off the latter point there is a reef which does not extend to a greater distance than a mile and a half.

The coast extends from Cape Dussejour to Cape Londonderry, a distance of ninety-five miles, without an opening, and with but few sinuosities of any consequence.

The mount is only visible between the bearings of South and West-South-West, and may be seen at the distance of seven or eight leagues.

MONTAGU SOUND extends from Cape Voltaire to the north end of Bigge's Island, a distance of thirty-one miles, and is from eleven to twenty miles deep.

In the offing, at the distance of three miles, there is a considerable range of reefs, that extend from the peaked island of Jackson's Isles; and more to the north-west is another group of rocky islands.

ROSILY, and THEVENARD ISLES are low and sandy; they were seen by us at a considerable distance.

Proceeding southerly from Cape Levillain, which is the east head of Dirk Hartog's Road, at the distance of five or six miles is a cove (barachois) formed by reefs, where boats might obtain shelter.

The opposite coast was seen only at a distance, and the shoalness of the water prevented their boats from approaching it.

Although many sandy beaches were seen at a distance upon the eastern shore of Shark's Bay, yet the boats of the French ships could not reach the shore on account of the reefs which front it.

There is no water nearer to this anchorage than in the sandy bay above mentioned, but the distance is trifling for a ship that can send boats with men enough to protect themselves while employed in filling the casks, for notwithstanding the friendly communication we have had with the inhabitants of this sound, they are not to be trusted, unless their character is different from the rest of their countrymen that we have seen.

It extends east and west for a considerable distance: the ship passed round the western extremity at two miles off, and found its bearing from Sandy Cape to be North 21 degrees East, one hundred and seventy-six miles, and to be in latitude 21 degrees 58 minutes, and longitude 154 degrees 20 minutes.

On the 19th June, the two brigs in company fell in with a range of reefs, terminated to the eastward by two sandy islets, the easternmost of which is in 151 degrees 47 minutes (149 degrees 27 minutes East of Paris); the vessels hauled to the wind immediately, but finding they could not pass to windward, bore up, and ran along the shoal from eight a.m. to four p.m., at the distance of a league and a half.

In hauling round the cape, avoid a shoal which extends for a short distance from the shore on its western side.

The anchorages between Cape Flinders and this are so numerous as not to require particular mention: the north-west end of every reef will afford shelter; but the anchor should not be dropped too near, because the tide sweeps round the edge with greater strength than it does at half a mile off, within which distance the bottom is generally deeper.

The course is then about North-West 1/4 West to the Bird Isles, and thence, to the reef v, about North West by North; the better and more direct plan is to pass within v and w (there is, however, a safe channel between them) and when abreast of the west end of the latter, the course to Cairncross Island is North by West 1/2 West, and the distance about eighteen miles.

There not being any very good anchorage between this and Cape York, it would be perhaps better to anchor under it for the night, in about fourteen or fifteen fathoms, mud, the island bearing South-East, but not nearer than half a mile, because, within that distance, the bottom is rocky.

After some time, they drew off a little, but in this they had rather the advantage by means of their bows and arrows, though our cannon made vast havock among their crowded bodies, which were at such a distance as enabled our gunners to fire among them to the greatest possible advantage.

While in this state of uncertainty and alarm, I and another soldier happened one day to be standing on guard on the sands at some distance from the camp, when we observed five natives approaching towards us.