April 25th

We left Sydney in company with H.M.S Goldfinch
bound for the Solomon Islands and after a very
fine passage of 10 days we arrived at the island

of Guadolcanan of the longest islands of

the Solomon Group having run a distance

of 2000 miles we dropped anchor in Honiara
Bay on the night of 5th May our soundings

being very deep. On our arrival several canoes

containing natives came alongside to barter

with yams bananas in exchange for tobacco

& clay pipes, the mountains on this island

are very steep and come right down to the wa-

ters edge, they are between 7000 & 8000 feet

and covered to the summit with very

dense jungle

(Guadalcanal ? Guadalcanan?  definetly an n not an l written in the diary)
(Honiara is an modern day guess the word is difficult to read and looks like Hondirera Bay???