HIGH BLUFF, the extremity of the promontory separating Hanover Bay from Port George the Fourth, speaks for itself. It is in latitude 15 degrees 14 minutes 40 seconds, and longitude 124 degrees 41 minutes 35 seconds. Between High Bluff and Point Adieu, in latitude 15 degrees 14 minutes 10 seconds, and longitude 124 degrees 34 minutes 45 seconds, is PORT GEORGE THE FOURTH, having midway in its entrance a high island nearly two miles long; and to the southward, in the centre of the port, a high rocky islet, the LUMP, the summit of which is situated in latitude 15 degrees 18 minutes 30 seconds, and longitude 124 degrees 37 minutes 50 seconds. The western side of the port is an extensive island, AUGUSTUS ISLAND, eleven miles long; it is high and rocky, and has several bays on its eastern side. The port affords very good anchorage, particularly between Entrance Island and the Lump, in nine fathoms, mud; but there is also very good anchorage with the Lump bearing west, in ten fathoms, mud. Port George the Fourth terminates in a strait, ROGER'S STRAIT, communicating with Camden Bay. The best entrance to the port is on the eastern side of Entrance Island; for the opposite, although practicable and sufficiently deep for the largest ships, is narrow, and must be buoyed before it can be used.
POINT ADIEU is the last land seen by us in 1820: it is the north-east end of Augustus Island, and is a rocky, bluff point. In the offing, at the distance of three miles, there is a considerable range of reefs, that extend from the peaked island of Jackson's Isles; and more to the north-west is another group of rocky islands.
To the westward of Augustus Island is a range of islands extending for five leagues; on their north side they are fronted by considerable coral reefs, which at low water are dry; besides which there are several small islets that contract the channels, and render the navigation intricate and difficult. Between Augustus and Byam Martin's Islands there is an open strait, of one mile and a half wide; but, its communication with the sea to the north, appears to be little more than half a mile. BYAM MARTIN'S ISLAND is separated from a range of small islets, extending North-North-East by a strait; and these last are divided from the Champagny Isles by another strait, from twenty-eight to thirty fathoms deep, through which the tide runs with great force. Off the north end of Byam Martin's Island are several smaller islets and coral reefs; the latter extend from it for more than six miles: the north-westernmost of these islets is the land seen in 1801 by Captain Heywood, and was called by him Vulcan Point: RED ISLAND, which he also saw, is eight miles to the westward; it is in latitude 15 degrees 13 minutes 15 seconds, and longitude 124 degrees 15 minutes 45 seconds: between it and Champagny Isles the ebbing tide uncovered several extensive reefs. Ten miles North 26 degrees East from Red Island, and South 71 degrees West from Freycinet's Island, is a dry sandbank surrounded by a reef.
DEGERANDO ISLAND, so called by the French, is the southernmost of the CHAMPAGNY ISLES: considerable reefs extend off its south end, which are dry at low water; its centre is in latitude 15 degrees 20 minutes 45 seconds, and longitude 124 degrees 13 minutes 15 seconds.
CAMDEN BAY is formed between Byam Martin's Island and Pratt's Islands, and extends to the eastward to Roger's Strait; it is twelve miles deep and eight wide. Here the tide rose and fell thirty-seven feet and a half, the moon's age being nineteen days. High water took place thirteen minutes after the moon's transit.
Between Camden Bay and Point Swan, a distance of ninety miles, the mainland falls back, and forms a very considerable opening fronted by a multitude of islands, islets, and reefs, into which, from our loss of anchors; we were not able to penetrate. From Camden Bay the islands, for the coast seemed too irregular to be the mainland, extend in a range in a south direction for more than fifty-five miles, to where there appeared to be a deep opening, or strait, from three to five miles wide. An irregular line of coast then appeared to extend for seven leagues to the North-West, and afterwards to the westward for five or six leagues. To the westward of this, the land appeared to be less continuous, and to be formed by a mass of islands separated by deep and narrow straits, through some of which the tide was observed to rush with considerable strength, foaming and curling in its stream, as if it were rushing through a bed of rocks: this was particularly observed among the islands to the south of Macleay's Islands. After extending for thirty miles farther to the South-West, the land terminates evidently in islands, which then trend to the South-East; and to the westward they are separated from Cygnet Bay, and the land to the southward of it by a strait five or six leagues wide. The narrowest part of this strait is at Point Cunningham, where it is twelve miles wide; two-thirds over to the islands are two rocky islets, which bear due south from Sunday Strait.
MONTGOMERY ISLANDS, a group of seven islets on the eastern side of this extensive range of islands, which are named BUCCANEER'S ARCHIPELAGO, are low and of small extent, particularly the six easternmost, none of which are a mile long: the westernmost, which has an extensive reef stretching to the North-West, is more than three miles in diameter, and appears to be of different formation to the other, being low and flat, whilst the rest are scarcely better than a heap of stones, slightly clothed with vegetation. Between the easternmost islet and the land, there is a strait of a league in width. The tide prevented our trying its depth: a league and a half to the north-west, at high-water, we had irregular soundings between ten and sixteen fathoms, but six fathoms must be deducted from it to reduce it to the depth at low water.
Three leagues to the north-west of Montgomery's westernmost island are COCKELL'S ISLES, two in number, low and flat, but of small size. A reef extends for more than five miles to the westward, and it was not thought improbable that it might be connected with the reefs that extend to the westward of Montgomery Islands. The centre of the largest island is in 15 degrees 48 minutes South, and 124 degrees 4 minutes East. To the North-East of Cockell's Islands the flood-tide sets to the south; but to the westward with great strength to the South-East, and, at an anchorage ten miles to the eastward of Macleay Isles, the tide rose and fell thirty-six feet, the moon being twenty-one days old. Cockell's Islands are twenty miles from the land to the south; and in this interval, but within four leagues from the shore, are several small rocky islets, on one of which there is a remarkable lump; nearer the shore are two islands, which have a more fertile and verdant appearance than any other part near them: these form the western extremity of COLLIER'S BAY.
MACLEAY ISLES lie in a North by West direction, and are eight miles in extent; the principal and highest island is near the south end of the group; those to the northward are small and straggling. The centre of the highest is in latitude 15 degrees 57 minutes, and longitude 123 degrees 42 minutes.
CAFFARELLI ISLAND was seen by the French. Its summit is in latitude 16 degrees 2 minutes 25 seconds, and longitude 123 degrees 18 minutes 35 seconds. It is the north-westernmost of a range of islands, extending in the direction of North 60 degrees West; among which Cleft Island, so named from a remarkable cleft or chasm near its north end, and DAMPIER'S MONUMENT, are conspicuous: the latter is a high lump. This range is separated from one of a similar nature, and extending in a like direction to the eastward, by a strait from three to four miles wide, and from fifteen to twenty deep.