June 22.
The next day we passed round Trimouille Island and left the coast.
Off the North-West end of Trimouille Island is a considerable reef. Hermite Island was not seen, but a small lump on the horizon, to the south of the former, was probably Lowendal Island. As we did not see the western side of Barrow's Island, that coast is laid down from M. De Freycinet's chart; the land, although low, is considerably higher than the usual elevation of the neighbouring islands, but it appeared to be equally arid and sterile. Trimouille Island appears scarcely better than a cluster of dry rocks.
Off these islands we had much calm weather, during which we were surrounded by myriads of fish, of which sharks, and small whales, called by the whalers fin-backs, were the most conspicuous. The smaller kinds consisted of bonetas, barracoutas, porpoises, and flying fish. A voracious dolphin was harpooned, in the maw of which was a barracouta in a half-digested state, and in the throat a flying fish, bitten in half, waiting its turn to be swallowed; for its tail had not disappeared out of the dolphin's mouth.
June 24 to 26.
For a few days we had light south-westerly winds, but they soon gave place to the South-East trade, which carried us quickly to the South-West. The situation assigned by the Dutch sloop to the Tryal Rocks was passed, without our noticing any indication of their existence.
June 30.
On the 30th we crossed the Tropic of Capricorn, between the 106th and 107th degree of east longitude; the South-East trade then died away, and was succeeded by light baffling winds, between South-West and South, and from that to East, attended with very cloudy damp weather, and frequent squalls of heavy rain. This unwholesome state of the air increased the number of our sick, for soon after leaving Timor the crew were attacked by dysentery brought on by change of diet; and at one time the disease wore a very alarming appearance.
1818. July 7.
Having reached with difficulty the latitude of 27 degrees 37 minutes and longitude 104 degrees 51 minutes, a breeze freshened up, and gradually veered from South-South-East to East, and East-North-East.