A tide or current setting along the shore appeared to retard us considerably, for at sunset we were not so much as two miles from the noon's place; the hummock then bore N. 25° W., and the furthest part of the coast south-east-by-east from the mast head.
An amplitude taken in the morning, with the ship's head west-by-south, gave 5° 11' east variation; and in the afternoon, when the land was only three miles distant and the head south-east, azimuths with the same compass gave 0° 50' west. These, corrected to the meridian in the mode I have adopted, will be severally 1° 57' and 1° 30' east; and the mean 1° 44'. The variation had therefore decreased considerably since leaving Kangaroo Island, contrary to the natural order; which proves that the quick increase on passing Yorke's Peninsula, was owing to some peculiar attraction, either in that or the neighbouring lands. Whilst beating through the Back-stairs Passage, I had observed an amplitude when the ship's head was south-south-west, which gave the extraordinary variation of 2° 41' east, or reduced to the meridian, 1° 27' east; although we were then not so much as four miles from the anchorage where it had been found 4° 13' east. Another amplitude was observed at eight leagues to the east of Cape Willoughby, when the head was north-east-half-east, and gave 2° 5' east variation, or reduced, 4° 36'. This last is correspondent with what was observed near Kangaroo Head and in the Gulph of St. Vincent; but the variation of 1° 27' in the passage is totally irregular, and must I think be ascribed to an attraction either in Cape Jervis to the north-east, or in the east end of Kangaroo Island to the south-east, or to both. When the great variation Of 4° 36' was obtained, both these lands were to the west; and when afterwards the 1° 57' and 1° 30' were observed, the nearest land was again to the eastward of the ship; and nearest in the last case.
The winds continued to be light and unfavourable; but by taking advantage of the changes in direction, and keeping further from the land, out of the tide or current, we had gained eight leagues by noon of the 11th [SUNDAY 11 APRIL 1802]. About twenty miles of coast beyond what had been set as the furthest extreme on the preceding day, was then in sight (Atlas Plate V.); and our situation and bearings were as follow:
Latitude by corrected log, 36° 11'
Longitude by time keepers. 139 29½
Northern extreme, from the mast head, N. 10 E.
Nearest part, distant 7 or 8 miles, N. 59 E.
A broad patch of white sand, N. 78 E.
Southern extreme, from the mast head, S. 66 E.
At one o'clock we bore away along the coast with a light breeze from the north-eastward; and having run five leagues, tacked to seaward soon after dark. Next morning [MONDAY 12 APRIL 1802] we again followed the coast at the distance of from five to three miles; and at noon a somewhat projecting part, which appears to be the Cape Bernouilli of the French navigators, was three or four miles distant to the east. Its latitude is 36° 33' and longitude 139° 51'; and about six miles to the south-south-east there are two low, black rocks lying close under the shore.
[SOUTH COAST. TOWARDS CAPE NORTHUMBERLAND.]
From Encounter Bay to this slight projection the coast is little else than a bank of sand, with a few hummocks on the top, partially covered with small vegetation; nor could anything in the interior country be distinguished above the bank. The shore runs waving between east-south-east and south-south-east; but to form what is called Cape Bernouilli it trends south, and then curves back south-eastward into a bight. The land then becomes better clothed with bushes and small trees; and it also differs from the more northern part in that some little risings of back land were visible.
Our soundings were more shallow along this part of the coast than before. The depth in passing Cape Bernouilli was from 8 to 12 fathoms; and on tacking out of the southern bight, at half past five in the evening, it was no more than 6, at three miles from the shore. We then saw land extending as far out as S. 29° W., which was the south head of the bight, and appears to be the Cape Jaffa of the French; but I do not find that they have given any name to the bight or bay, although much more deserving than some other sinuosities in the coast on which that honour is conferred.
This evening the variation from azimuths was 1° 25' east, taken when the ship's head was S. S. E. ½ E.; which being corrected upon the same principle as before, is 3° 0' east, and showed the variation to be now increasing, according to the regular order.
During the night, we worked up successfully against a south-south-east wind, for at six in the morning [TUESDAY 13 APRIL 1802] the low, outer extreme of Cape Jaffa bore N. 15° E., six or seven miles. The shore is sandy, but rises from the beach to a moderate elevation, and is then well clothed with small wood. About three leagues to the south of the cape is a cluster of low rocks, apparently the same of which captain Baudin had given me information; they do not, however, lie exactly in the situation expressed in his memorandum, and are not more than two miles from the land. We called them Baudin's Rocks; and since no name is applied to them in M. Peron's account of their voyage, the appelation is continued.