Some turtle tracks were seen upon the beach; and when we returned to the
vessel Mr. Bedwell landed to watch for their coming on shore, but none
appeared, and since we found no eggs, it is probable that the young had
already taken to the water.

March 2.

The next morning we sailed, and attempted to steer round the western side
of Malus Island; but were prevented from passing between it and Rosemary
Island by the shoalness of the water. There is, however, every reason to
believe that in mid-channel the water is deep enough for any purpose; but
as our persisting would have answered no end, we steered across Mermaid's
Strait, and by sunset were abreast of Cape Bruguieres, so named by
Captain Baudin, round which the land trended to East by South, forming
the south side of a shoal strait, separating Gidley Island from Captain
Baudin's Legendre Island: the latter is a narrow, long, rocky island,
lying East-South-East and West-North-West, and is of a lower character
than the islands to the southward of it. We anchored under the North-West
end of this island.

March 3.

But the ground was so uneven and rocky that we considered ourselves
fortunate in recovering the anchor the next morning without breaking it;
for during the night the anchor dragged and hooked a rock; on weighing
it, however, the rock proved to be rotten and broke away. The strait
between Legendre and Gidley Islands is full of shoals, which at daylight
being dry, were covered with immense flights of pelicans and other
water-fowl.