Sep 17, 1792 Home Flinders's Log Sep 19, 1792
Revised Sep 16 2021
The NWestermost of the Small Keys (Passage Keys) S81°W 3′ or 4′ – Three small Islands N27°W to North – The nearest ½ Mile distant – the NW End of U on East End of U N35°E – Islands at Intervals to Passage Island N56°E Black rock Island S85°E which Bearing is likewise the NEastermost of the nearest Group of rocky Keys – the High Mountain S70°E – A small rocky Island ¾ Mile distant S38°E to S10°E
Place
NW End of U N39°E – Two North Passage Keys N42°E and the South Key N85°E distant 1 Mile
NW end of large Island N78°E which at the last
Place bore S22°W – Distant Land S42°E 3 or 4 Leagues Several Intermediate Islands –
Several Islands or Lands from that at Intervals to S12°E – A rock above water 2 or 3 Miles distant
S25°E another about the same Distance more to the Northward
1 pm: Fresh Gale and fair Weather
2 pm: Saw three Canoes full of Indians going towards the Assistant – Saw them making towards the Boats, fired two swivels over them and they went ashore
5 pm: At 5..20 Weighed both 's
Found the Arm of the Best Bower broke off and
Cable much rubbed – Made Sail after the Boats in Company with the Assistant – At 6..30 Anchored
in 8 Fathom hard rocky ground and surrounded by rocky Keys and reef some not more than ½ Mile
distant – Tide running 5 Knots Ship steered on both Tides with great Caution and Hands kept
by the Small Bower – An additional
half Allowance of Grog served to the People
4 am: Strong Breezes and Cloudy Weather
5 am: At 5 Threatning bad Weather Began to heave at 6.50 Weighed with a strong Tide setting to Eastward Assistant leading between the reefs and Keys – Boats ahead sounding
8 am: At 8 Passing between Keys ¾ Mile across – 7 Fathom water – a clear Passage to the Westward but fell into Shoal water and the Weather being hazey and dangerous to run
9 am: At 9.20 we came to in 6 Fathom with Small Bower coarse sandy Bottom – Struck Top Gallant Masts and sent the Boats to the Westward to sound
12 noon: At Noon Strong Gales and thick cloudy Weather several high distant Islands in sight to the SSE
We had seen those three Canoes creeping along the Shore, apparently with the Design of getting to Windward
of us, however as we were in a Condition to despise any Attempt they could make, we were more concerned for
the Situation of the Ship which thus surrounded with rocks Keys and Shoals, and the 's
in hard Ground was become a serious object of Attention and it seems the Captain was determined to change his
Birth if possible to get better Ground and the Boats making the Signal for good Anchorage about 2 Miles to
the Westward we set about getting up the 's with
all the Despatch possible. the Best Bower coming up with with [sic] an Arm broke off was a melancholy
Proof of the badness of our Situation – when we came down to where the Boats had sounded, the Ground
was found to be not near to good as had been imagined, we accordingly tryed a little farter with the Boats
and Brig ahead, but Dark coming on we were necessitated to bring to in the Place we did, which proved to be
much worse than that we had left. we had shoal water two or three Cables lengths from us and rocks almost all
round us very little farther off the Ground we 'd
in was rocky and very little hold for the . a Tide
running 4 or 5 Knots and Wind fresh, in the Situation we had nothing to trust to, but to steer the Ship
carefully that the Stream might affect her as little as possible, the Goodness of our Anchor and the Divine
Providence – with great Joy we saw the Day break and the Ships still safe – the Boats & Brig
were sent ahead and had regular Soundings and we followed thro Passages which necessity could only make us
take, however at our next age the Prospect was quite
different we saw an open Sea in the Quarter we wanted to go and were not without our Hopes that we had passed
all or greatest Part of the Difficulties attendant on the unexplored Streights. we looked back on the Dangers
we had passed with some Satisfaction at being clear of them. Upon a retrospect it will appear that what we have
seen of Endeavour Streight by no means promises that the Navigation thro' it will become general
Sep 17, 1792 Home Flinders's Log Sep 19, 1792