"Tuesday, September 28th. At half-past 3 A.M. weighed in company with H.M.S. Investigator and made sail to northward. At 6 A.M. spoke the Commodore and received orders to keep ahead. A high island we passed this morning south by west distant 12 or 14 miles,* (* North Point Island.) a high short island under our lee north-west by west distant 10 or 11 miles. Long high land on our weather bow north-east by north distant 11 or 12 miles.* (* Percy Islands.) Latitude observed 21 degrees 52 minutes 41 seconds south.
"Wednesday, September 29th. Stood after the Commodore. At this time I perceived that several of the islands in sight were covered with pines of the same kind as Port Number 2. At half-past 7 P.M. anchored with the kedge; answered a signal light from the Investigator with one at the main. At daylight weighed and stood towards the Investigator. At half-past 5 A.M. she also weighed and we proceeded a little nearer to the large island mentioned in yesterday's log and on turn of tide we came to. Observed Captain Flinders* (* "Not a single native was seen either on the shores of Thirsty or Broad Sound during...our stay." Flinders.) in his whale-boat go ashore with several of the officers and gentlemen, not to the large island but to a small island within about 2 miles of it and from which it bore west-south-west.* (* "We landed first at the islet where the same kind of pine is seen as at Port Bowen." Flinders.) At half-past 9 A.M. hove up and made towards the Commodore who was under weigh, standing on to the body of a large pine island. Kept standing up for a sandy beach on the southern end of the large Pine Island and at half-past 11 A.M. the Commodore dropped anchor; stood on past him and at noon came to with the kedge* (* At Number 2 Island, the largest of the Percy Islands.) the small Pine Island bearing south-west by west distant 1 1/4 miles Peak of Pines like a sugar loaf north distant 5 or 6 miles.*... (* "To the northern Percy Isles, each of which is a hill somewhat peaked but that on Number 3 is much the most so and the highest...is called Pine Peak." Flinders.)
"Thursday, September 30th. I went on shore and by a narrow passage entered a sheet of water entirely surrounded by the mountainous part of the island, with here and there pines which on the whole has a beautiful and romantic appearance. I searched for fresh water but found none, however Captain Flinders found plenty. A.M. I went on shore with a party in order to clear a rolling way for our casks as also did captain Flinders and Lieutenant Fowler with 20 men, by noon this was completed and the well began to be dug and cleared out; by an unlucky accident the dry grass with which most of the ground is covered caught fire and burnt with great fury driving the people away from the principal watering-place.
"Friday, October 1st. On shore digging wells and clearing them out. By half-past 3 P.M. the fire had increased so as to make us retreat to the sandy beach and even here it nearly reached us by 7 P.M. It continued to burn all night...covering the whole of the hills (particularly the tops) with a fringe of white fire while all the way down to the bases resembled a large town on a dark night well lighted up. By the morning it had considerably abated.
"Saturday, October 2nd. Employed completing our water which was done by sunset and the hold stowed. Secured everything for sea. The Investigator continued watering. Found a part of our best bower cable so much decayed from wear that I cut off, from the anchor end, 15 fathoms and fresh bent it again. Before we leave this island I think it proper to observe it lies (from where we lay at anchor) about north by east and south by west its latitude is 21 degrees 40 minutes 02 seconds south and its longitude by Timekeeper 150 degrees 23 minutes 27 seconds east, it will easily be known from a high peak of stones that at a distance will look like its northern end. On this peak several pines are growing. On its northern end is a sandy beach from which the entrance of the circular sheet of water is immediately seen. On this beach we caught the first day plenty of fish and it is remarkable that since few have been caught. Bearing south-west from this place at about 2 miles distance is a small island of pines with two or three rocks lying about it, to the westward at a distance of 8 or 9 miles is a rugged island with two peaks covered with pines, one of them much higher than the other, and to the north-west about 10 or 11 miles is an island of table-land with a bluff head on its southern end all round are islands of different sizes but this watering island cannot be mistaken or missed.
"Monday, October 4th. At 6 A.M. weighed in company with the Investigator and made sail to the Northward.
"Tuesday, October 5th. Worked to windward...at 5 P.M. tacked. At sundown the Stony Peak on watering island bore south by west high peak of Pines west distant 2 1/2 or 3 miles. At noon the high Peak of Pines bore south-west by south distant about 17 or 18 miles, the peak on Watering Island south-south-west distant 19 or 20 miles.* (* Mr. Murray seems to have given Number 2 offing the name of Watering Island.)
"Wednesday, October 6th. At half-past 1 answered signal "Follow me," answered signal "Make sail ahead." At this time we saw a long range of sand reefs in the east and west direction and three small rocks bore north-east by north distant 2 1/2 or 3 miles.* (* "They were not those seen by Mr. Campbell though they form part of the same barrier...The reefs were not dry with the exception of some black lumps which resembled the round heads of negroes, these being dead coral." Flinders.) Answered signal of 'Danger,' following the Investigator and keeping a good lookout from the mast-head. At half-past 1 P.M. the high peak of pines bore south-south-west distant about 22 miles which proves those extensive reefs to be placed very erroneously on the chart owing to the incorrectness of Messrs. Swaine and Campbell, they having laid them down nearly 2 degrees off the land instead of which they are only distant 20 miles from the nearest island. Quarter past 6 P.M. came to in 28 fathoms with the kedge; the Investigator north-east by north quarter of a mile distant.* (* "At six anchored in 27 fathoms coarse sand." Flinders.) At daylight the Investigator began to heave up and we did the same, by 6 A.M. made sail. Received orders to keep ahead with a good lookout for shoals. Saw a shoal of sand with two small rocks on it from north-east; at half-past 10 A.M. being within 2 miles of the shoal tacked. At noon the rocks on the shoal bore north-west a little westerly distant 2 miles. Received additional instructions signals and cd. from Captain Flinders.* (* "I sent a boat with instructions to Lieutenant Murray...in case of our separation." Flinders.)
"Thursday, October 7th. Stood on after the Investigator and weathered the last-mentioned reef of coral. At half-past 4 A.M. weighed and made sail to the south-east. At half-past 10 A.M. saw a reef of coral ahead, several parts of which were above water considerably much like the appearance of boats under sail.* (* "Upon these reefs were more of the dry black lumps called negro heads." Flinders.)
"Friday October 8th. At half-past 5 P.M. tacked to the northward, reefs still in sight. At 9 A.M. tacked after the Commodore, a reef of coral rock bearing east to east-north-east distant 4 or 4 1/2 miles. At noon the Investigator bore north by east distant 1 1/2 miles, a shoal of sand apparently bearing north distant 5 or 6 miles, another bearing north-east by north distant 4 miles and a small rock on an extensive shoal of sand east by south distant 1 1/2 miles, this shoal seems to stretch a long way from east-south-east to north-east. Latitude observed 20 degrees 54 minutes 42 seconds south.