M. de Freycinet of this archipelago is so defective that many of his
islands could not be recognised; but those which were made out preserve
his names. Cassini Island is sufficiently well placed by him, and was a
useful point for the sake of comparing our longitudes. In the space
between Cape Bougainville and Cape Voltaire, which was named the
Admiralty Gulf, we have given positions to at least forty islands or
islets.

Having now emerged from the archipelago of islands which front this part
of the north-west coast we seized the opportunity of taking leave of it
for the present and directed our course for Timor. At 4 hours 19 minutes
p.m., when the centre of Cassini Island bore South 4 degrees 30 minutes
West, distance 6 minutes 8 seconds by survey, sights for the chronometers
made the centre of the island in 125 degrees 41 minutes 22 seconds, which
is 2 minutes 32 seconds to the eastward of the longitude assigned to its
centre in M. de Freycinet's chart.

October 20.

On the 20th in the evening after a succession of damp weather with
squalls of thunder, lightning, and rain, and variable baffling winds, a
fresh breeze set in from East-South-East.

October 21.

At six o'clock the next morning it settled in the South-East with heavy
rain, thunder, and lightning, and afterwards the weather cleared up. As
soon as day dawned, sail was made to the North-West and before noon we
hauled up North-North-West to allow for a westerly current; at two p.m.
the weather clouded in and was followed by squalls of wind and rain from