climate and in the unhealthy season, threatened to be frequent and
severe. One or two of the people had complained of this disorder before
we left Oyster Harbour, but it was not until we had sailed, that it
assumed any serious appearance. After two days it happily began to
subside, or I should of necessity have been obliged to resort to some
place for relief, for we had, at one time, only four seamen to keep
watch.

February 10.

This sickness prevented our examining any part of the West Coast, as we
passed it; our course was therefore held at a distance from the shore,
and on the 10th the land to the southward of the North-West Cape was
descried at daylight. Its outline was so level as to appear like a thick
fog on the horizon; but, as the sun rose, we were undeceived. At seven
miles from the shore we found no soundings with 80 fathoms; but at eight
o'clock, being three miles nearer, we had 35 fathoms, sand, coral, and
shells. The bottom then gradually shoaled to 22 fathoms; upon which we
steered along the outer edge of a line of breakers that fronted the
shore, and after rounding a projection of the reef, steered to the
East-North-East, towards the extreme of the land.

The coast is here tolerably elevated, and may be seen at the distance of
six or seven leagues; it is composed of a red-coloured, sandy-looking
rock, which is very scantily sprinkled with small shrubs, and appears to
be extremely arid and sterile. The shore is fronted with rocks that
extend for three or four miles into the sea; on the extremity of which
the surf breaks with a continued foam. To the north the land suddenly
terminates with rather a steep slope, but a low sandy plain extends to
the East-North-East for three miles further, the extremity of which is