By
sundown it was moderate weather; the boat returned on board...a wambuck
was caught, served it, a swan and a kangaroo to ship's company.
"Thursday, 21st January. A.M. Sent Mr. Bowen in the gig to Elephant Rock
with directions to sound all the parts of this bay we did not run over in
the vessel.
"Friday, 22nd January. P.M. The boat returned on board. Mr. Bowen found
the soundings all the distance from the vessel from 9 to 10 and 11
fathoms and good ground. Close to the Elephant Rock there are 10 fathoms.
This rock is about 1 1/2 miles in circumference and it is entirely
covered with seals of prime fur some of which the officer brought, there
might be 6 or 7,000 seals of different sizes on shore. A.M. Sent boat to
Elephant Rock for skins and another for wood and water.
"Saturday, January 23rd. P.M. The launch returned with some sealskins of
prime fur and I was told that the Rock was full of mutton-birds, in
consequence of this I had the boat on shore and procured 80 or 90 of
them, served ditto to the people.
"Sunday, January 24th. Throughout this 24 hours the weather has been
remarkably thick and hazy...stood off and on till 4 P.M...then we made
some sail to get sight of land if possible before dark and by 8 P.M. saw
the north-west point of the Bay of Seals being north by west distant 5
miles, 2 Seal Rocks distant 6 miles north by east...at 2 A.M. found the
vessel close to the breakers and a strong ripple of a current with a very
confused jump of a sea. Tacked and stood off till daylight. By 6 A.M. we
saw the distant looming of the land, bearing north-west, and perceived
that all round us...lay rocks and dangerous breakers, one bore south-west
(a large rock 3 miles) another south-south-west 3 1/2 another south 4
miles and one west 5 miles, that one which bore south-south-west, John
Johnson told me he thought it Harbinger Rock, having seen it when with
Mr. Black, commander of the Harbinger. At 8 A.M. made sail to the
north-east...At noon strong winds at south hauled her off East.
"Before I close this log it may be proper to observe that from the very
long run of bad weather we have had and being so often baffled in our
attempts to get round the end of the island which is full of danger and
moreover have seen all the land that lies between its north-west and west
points to its south-west points from which these dangerous rocks and
breakers lie about 7 or 8 miles I now determined to stand off to
Albatross Island in a straight line for this reef for we could not
venture too close unto land it having every appearance of a gale from
south or south-east either of which blow in on the shore.
