"Wednesday, 25th November. Fresh breezes and hazy weather. At half-past 3 saw a single rock bearing south-south-west distance 9 or 10 miles, and an island on our beam south-east...haze very thick and scud flying thick. At 4 P.M. saw a rock lying to north of Kent's Group about 3 miles...At half-past 4 saw easternmost island of Kent's Group bearing west by south distance 8 miles, by half-past 5 P.M. having come nearly up with the land, passed in between the group and a rock that lies to the north and by 6 opened the Sound that passes through the Islands...As we approached the first cove saw a large part of the island on fire from which we conceived there might be people on shore—kept standing up the Sound and had furious gusts of wind at every point of the compass. We proceeded up with sails, sweeps and boat till we opened the second cove but found it impossible to get to anchorage in it as violent gusts constantly came down it. At 7 P.M. bore away for the cove on the west side and at half-past 7 P.M. came to anchor in 7 fathoms.
"Thursday, 26th November. Moderately fine weather in general. At 2 P.M. the officer and his party returned on board having found no water—every part of the cove was overhauled and only rainwater could be found here, the rocks being strongly marked with the stream of water that will naturally fall from such a high land in heavy rain. From the mate's finding a small quantity of Queyha rope in this cove, and seeing a dog dead on the beach, I fancy the Harrington must have been here, the dog being much like one of Mr. Cumming's. In the afternoon I sent the first mate to the second cove on the east side to overhaul it for water, but on the strictest search they found nothing, but a brackish kind of spring...they however shot and caught three kangaroos.
"Friday, 27th November. Sounded the channel that divided this group right through...At the southernmost end lies a bank of 10 fathoms. As you approach the East Cove the water gradually shoals from 30 to 40 fathoms...and as you advance on West Cove the water suddenly falls from 30 to 16-14-12-10-8-7-6-5-4 and 3 fathoms, close to the beach the bottom consists of sand mixed with small shells and stones—the East Cove the same and small seaweed, the West Cove is strong, coarse sand and where we anchored quite covered with black kelp so much so that at first I was not clear but it might be rock...
"Saturday, 28th November. Measured a base line of 324 fathoms in length from one point of the cove we lay in to the other, it was measured with small line and every five fathoms of it was a chip of light wood in length 120 fathoms. We had the boats employed in this business; alternately anchored them till we got across to the southern end of the point of the cove; and as the water was smooth I fancy the length of base line to be correct. I then surveyed the eastern side of the Sound and Cove. Sent the first mate and some hands to the north-east cove to cut some of ye wood growing there...I sent the carpenter with him—overhauled our bread and found...some had got damp and mouldy, got it out from the rest, but owing to the bad weather could not air it on deck...
KENT'S GROUP. By John Murray
"Sunday, 29th November. Hard gales and gloomy weather throughout with a swell heaving in through the northern entrance of ye sound. P.M. The first mate returned on board having cut down two spars...The party with the dog caught two large and 3 small kangaroos. At 8 P.M. as usual set a third watch with an officer. A.M. I went over to Harrington (or East) Cove,* (* Named after Captain Campbell's ship the Harrington to whose presence in these waters Murray often refers.) measured a base line and surveyed the western side of this sound. I also overhauled every part of the Rocks all round the cove and without it examined every drain that I fell in with and although I saw at different parts of the under rocks and in holes perhaps enough water to keep a few men alive yet no quantity that could be much use to a ship's company. In East Cove there is a good anchorage all over it for ships of any size, and they may exactly choose what water to be in from 3 fathoms close in to ye beach to 14 in ye mouth of it. I sounded every part of it and ye bottom is sand with small stones and shells much covered with black seaweed that might at first be thought to be rocks...West Cove is almost the same...East Cove is ye best to lie in as it entirely shuts in sea gates and moreover has little ground swell to which both other coves are subject. With respect to the tide in the coves little can be perceived, the perpendicular rise at full moon may be 10 or 11 feet, with us it sometimes was 8 or 9 feet, and that in ye course of ye hour...At all times it is imprudent to carry sail on a boat in this sound; the puffs come so violent that before anybody could take in her sail she would to a certainty be overset; even ships, in my opinion, would do well before they enter this sound to take in all their small sails and keep all hands at the braces fore and aft as well as hands by the top-sail halyards, and it is necessary to handle the yards quick otherwise a large vessel will be sure to rub sides with ye rocks if it has blown fresh outside all day...The kangaroo seems to be most plentiful at this time in the north-eastern cove owing, I fancy, to their being less disturbed there than in the other coves, but with good dogs and a little trouble they may be had on the hills in the vicinity of either cove. Wood is plentiful and no trouble in getting it.
"Monday, 30th November. Hard gales, hazy weather with rain throughout. The soil throughout this sound is nothing but sand a good way up the hills and after that you chiefly find rocks with here and there a shott of grass. The hills are covered very thick with brushwood, a great part of which is decayed and rotten and renders it a business of labour to ascend any of them. They are also very high—we have seen nothing new on them. A few parrots are to be seen and now and then a snake of a large size, these with kangaroos, gulls, redbills, form the inhabitants of these islands, sometimes a seal comes in shore but very seldom and with much care.
"Thursday, 3rd December. Warped a little way out and finding could get no more of the warp sent hands in the gig to stand by...she drove and we were obliged to let go small bower again. At this time wind increased to a gale...P.M. Got altitudes for Governor King's chronometer. A.M. Sent the first mate and a party to get kangaroos to the opposite or west side of the land from the cove we lay in and for fresh water.