As soon as the ebb-tide began to make Mr. Roe embarked on his return; and during his passage down saw as many as twelve alligators. Two were fired at but the balls glanced off their tough coats of mail without hurting or scarcely frightening them. A small trickling of water was noticed among the rocks, which they found to be fresh but in too small a quantity to be of any use. The boat was six hours and a half pulling down although for the first five hours the tide was favourable.

The river was named after the rector of Newbury, the reverend father of my zealous and diligent assistant Mr. Roe. It appears to be a very considerable stream and, as Mr. Roe justly observes, in the rainy season or at any other time of the year than during the months of September and October, which terminate the dry season, will doubtless afford a large quantity of fresh water.

The opportunity that offered in Hunter's River of filling our water-casks was not to be lost.

September 14.

And the day after the boat returned from the examination of Roe's River the cutter was moved to an anchorage about half way up the first or sea reach of Hunter's River.

September 15.

And the next morning before daylight the boats were despatched; but owing to the darkness of the morning and the ebb-tide having left the shores dry and almost inaccessible, from the quantity of mud that lined them, they did not reach the spring until late in the day. In the mean time, however, they contrived to wade through the mud to the shore; and then explored the bed of the river for half a mile beyond where our previous examination terminated.

In this space they passed several pools of fresh water which, in some parts, was running over a pebbly bottom; but the supply was so trifling as to be not sufficient to alter the taste of the seawater.

Our gentlemen described the country to be as destitute of soil as we had found it lower down; and so rugged as to be scarcely passable. The ravine is formed by precipitous rocks of sandstone rising perpendicularly on both sides to the height of two hundred feet, here and there lightly sprinkled with a few shrubs which had lately been burnt.

Some of our party thought they saw both an emu and a black swan amongst the bushes on the banks of the river. In some parts of the north coast we have certainly noticed marks on the sand like the impressions of an emu's foot, but as we have never seen the bird it is probable that we have mistaken them for the traces of the Ardea antigone. Black swans we have never seen at all within the tropic and it is equally likely that in this instance we may have also been deceived by the appearance of a bird of similar size and plumage. On the return of the boat two alligators swam past it.

September 19.

After completing our water we left the river; but owing to light winds did not succeed in getting out of the harbour until the following morning. Its examination had been performed as narrowly as time and circumstances admitted: it is of considerable size and in most parts offers good and secure anchorage; with abundance of wood for fuel and perhaps always water of good quality. Its western side was very indistinctly seen; and it was thought probable from appearances that, in the space between Cape Pond and Anderdon Islands, there are perhaps two or three small mountain streams.

The harbour was called Prince Frederic's, and the sound that fronts it York Sound, in honour of his Royal Highness the Duke of York.

September 20.

After passing Point Hardy we entered a fine harbour bounded on the west by a group of islands, and on the east by the projection of land that forms the western side of Prince Frederic's Harbour. The flood-tide was not sufficient to carry us to the bottom so that we anchored off the east end of the southernmost island of the group; which on the occasion of the anniversary of the late king's coronation was subsequently called the Coronation Islands. The harbour was called Port Nelson, and a high rocky hill that was distinguished over the land to the southward received the name of Mount Trafalgar.

Notwithstanding we had constantly experienced since the period of our leaving the east coast both fine weather and smooth water, yet the leaky state of the vessel had been gradually increasing; leading me to fear that the injury received at Port Bowen had been much more serious than we had then contemplated. Having the advantage of smooth water and a fair wind during our passage up the east coast, the damage had not shown itself until we reached Cairncross Island: after this it was occasionally observed, but with more or less effect according to the strength and the direction of the wind and the state of the sea. At the anchorage off Booby Island, being exposed to a swell, she made four inches of water in an hour; but during the examination of Montagu Sound and the harbour we last left it did not show at all: upon leaving Hunter's River and working against a fresh sea-breeze, the leak gained more than three inches in the hour; and in passing round Cape Torrens, the vessel being pressed down in the water from the freshness of the sea-breeze, it gained as much as nine inches in one hour and twenty minutes.

From the alarming increase of the leak it became absolutely necessary to ascertain the full extent of the damage, in order that we might, if possible, repair it, so as not to prevent the further prosecution of the voyage, or at least to ensure our return to Port Jackson.

We were fortunately upon a part of the coast where the tides had a sufficient rise and fall to enable us to lay her on shore without difficulty; but the beaches in York Sound and Prince Frederic's Harbour were all too steep for the purpose.

September 21.

The spring tides were now at hand; and, it being on this account very important that it should be done as speedily as possible, I left the cutter the following morning in search of a convenient place, in which I was fortunately very soon successful; for at the bottom of the port in which we had anchored we landed on the sandy beach of a bay which, to my inexpressible satisfaction, was found in every way suitable for the object we had in view. Deferring therefore any further examination for a more convenient opportunity, I hastened on board and in the course of the morning anchored the cutter close to the beach.

It has been already stated that the construction of the Mermaid was rather sharp, so that it was necessary to land everything before it would be safe to lay her on the ground: her masts were therefore struck and the sails, being sent on shore, were suspended to trees and converted into tents for the preservation of our provisions and stores and for habitations for the officers and crew.

Our anchorage was four hundred yards distant from the beach; which, since the vessel took the ground at low water, was as near as we could prudently approach it but sufficiently close to protect our property from the natives until everything was landed. None had as yet appeared, but, the country having been lately fired, and the impression of a man's foot having been noticed on the sand when we landed in the morning, gave evident proofs that they were not far off. On the beach were the remains of several huts; but they did not appear to have been recently occupied: in order however to avoid surprise or loss, the stores and provisions that had been landed in the evening were placed at a distance from the grass and trees and covered over with a sail: near this pile our four-pounder was planted, loaded with musket balls, ready to be fired at a moment's warning.

Having thus taken all possible precaution our people returned on board to pass the night. My anxiety however prevented my retiring to bed so early and I continued watching our property in the momentary expectation of something occurring. The moon was fortunately at her full and shone sufficiently bright to enable me to distinguish any moving object near the tent. At eight o'clock a light was suddenly observed on the summit of the hill that rises over the beach; but after being stationary for ten minutes it disappeared: at first it was thought to be a native's fire; and afterwards it was suspected to be occasioned by an insect. At midnight, as the light had not again been seen, I retired to rest, leaving a watch on the deck to give alarm should anything occur; but in less than an hour was disturbed by the cry, "The tent's on fire!" On reaching the deck I found the alarm had not been made without reason, for a flame was actually blazing close to them.

At the first appearance of the flames two muskets were fired in the direction of them and our people were immediately landed. On reaching the tent everything was secure and quiet but the fire was still burning at about twenty yards behind it. Having cautiously approached it we found our fears had been groundless and that they were occasioned by no less innocent an enemy than a half-consumed log of wood, in the heart of which a fire had been lying dormant for some days, having been lighted by the fires which had lately passed over the country; it had been fanned into a flame by the land-breeze which sprung up at midnight. The light seen in the early part of the night originated, most likely, from a similar cause; so that we returned to the vessel without further apprehension.

September 22.

The following day all our wet and dry provisions, our wood and guns were landed; and the greater number of the crew slept on shore.

A discovery of great importance was this day made which enabled us to carry on our operations with much greater facility and comfort; this was our finding near the tents some deep holes containing a great abundance of excellent water; so that by emptying our water-casks we avoided the trouble and delay of hoisting them out: our operations were in consequence so much expedited that the next morning at high tide the vessel was warped and secured as far up the beach as the water would allow, preparatory to her taking the ground, which event we awaited with considerable anxiety.

When the tide left her dry we proceeded to examine her bottom, and having stripped the copper off the stern-post, the full extent of the injury she had sustained was detected and found to be greater even than our fears had anticipated.

September 22 to 28.

The after-part of the keel was rent for two feet in an horizontal direction and its connexion with the stern-post and garboard streak so much weakened that, at the first impression, there was every reason to fear we could not remedy the defects sufficiently to ensure even an immediate return to Port Jackson; but when the full extent of our means were considered it was thought not only possible to repair the injury, but to do it so effectually as to permit our completing the voyage according to our original intention.

As it now appeared certain that some considerable time must elapse before we could reload the cutter, she was secured at the next tide in a situation nearer the high-water mark. At low water a deep hole was dug under her bottom, to enable the carpenter to work with his auger; and this operation was necessarily renewed every tide, since the hole was always found filled up after the high water. An armourer's forge and tools were now much wanted but the deficiency of an anvil was supplied by the substitution of a pig of ballast; and some chain plates that we had fortunately taken from the Frederick's wreck, and some bar-iron which was brought out from England by the Dromedary, enabled us to place our vessel in a state of security which we were by no means in before.

In order to connect the keel and stern-post, both of which were almost separated from the frame of the vessel, two bolts, each twenty-four inches long, were driven up obliquely through the keel and two of the same size horizontally through the stern-post into the dead wood; besides which they were also united by a stout iron brace which was fitted under the keel and up each side of the stern-post; by which method the injury appeared to be so well repaired that we had no fears for our safety if the weather should be but moderately fine.

September 28.

These repairs were completed by the 28th but, just as we were congratulating ourselves upon having performed them, a fresh defect was discovered which threatened more alarming consequences even than the other: upon stripping off some sheets of copper, the spike nails which fastened the planks were found to be decaying; and many were so entirely decomposed by oxidation that a straw was easily thrust through the vacant holes. As we had not nails enough to replace the copper, for that was now our only security, we could not venture to remove more than a few sheets from those parts which appeared to be the most suspicious, under all of which we found the nails so defective that we had reason to fear we might start some planks before we reached Port Jackson, the consequence of which would unquestionably be fatal to the vessel and our lives. All that we could do to remedy the defect was to caulk the water-ways and counter, and to nail an additional streak of copper a foot higher than before. This further temporary repair was finished by the 30th.

1820. October 5.

But we were detained until the 5th of October before the tide rose high enough to float the cutter.

During the time that the carpenter was thus occupied all the crew were employed either in assisting him or in cutting wood and filling water; so that I had no opportunity either of visiting the surrounding islands or of examining the country in the vicinity of the bay: but when the repairs were completed and the people were more at leisure I made an excursion as far as Bat Island, off Cape Brewster.

From the summit of this island a set of bearings was obtained, particularly of the islands to the northward and westward. The ascent, on account of its steep and rugged nature, was very difficult and even dangerous, for the stones were so loose and decomposed that no solid footing could be found. The top of the rock is covered with a thick brush of Acacia leucophoea (of Lacrosse Island) many trees of which were obliged to be cut down or cleared away before the various objects could be seen from the theodolite. Mr. Cunningham collected here specimens of eighteen different sorts of plants.

Bat Island is a mass of sandstone superincumbent upon a quartzose basis and intersected by nearly vertical veins of white quartz, the surface of which was in a crystallized state. The floor of the cavern was covered with heaps of water-worn fragments of quartzose rock, containing copper pyrites, in some of which the cavities were covered by a deposit of greenish calcedony. The sides of the cavern had a stalagmitical appearance but the recess was so dark that we could not ascertain either its formation or extent; it did not however appear to be more than twelve or fourteen yards deep. On first entering it we were nearly overpowered by a strong sulphureous smell which was soon accounted for by the flight of an incredible number of small bats which were roosting in the bottom of the cave and had been disturbed by our approach. We attempted to grope our way to the bottom, but, not having a light, were soon obliged to give up its further examination.

The island is connected to the cape by a narrow ridge of rocks which the spring-tides may probably cover. The main corresponds with the island in character and general conformation, being extremely barren and rocky, and of the same description of sandstone, the strata of which appear nearly horizontal; the greatest deviation from that position not being more than an inclination of 5 degrees to the south-east.

Upon our return we landed at Caper Point near the bottom of the bay; where, on taking some bearings, a considerable local magnetic attraction was detected, for the needle of the theodolite was nearly eight degrees in error. Whilst I was thus employed Mr. Cunningham, who was my companion upon this excursion, ranged about among the shrubs in the vicinity and was fortunate in finding the fruit of a tree that was first seen by us at Cambridge Gulf, and had for some time puzzled us from its immense size and peculiar appearance. It proved to be a tree of the natural order Capparides, and was thought to be a capparis; the gouty habit of the stem, which was soft and spongy, gave it an appearance of disease: but as all the specimens, from the youngest plant to the full-grown tree, possessed the same deformed appearance, it was evidently the peculiarity of its habit. The stem of the largest of these trees measured twenty-nine feet in girth whilst its height did not exceed twenty-five feet. "It was at this time in the earliest stages of foliation, the extremities of the naked branches appearing green; and one bud that was opened exhibited the character of Folium quinatum."* One of these trees has been introduced in the view of the encampment at Careening Bay. It bore some resemblance to the adansonia figured in the account of Captain Tuckey's expedition to the Congo.

(*Footnote. Cunningham manuscripts.)

The only quadruped that was seen upon this excursion was a small opossum which appeared to be the same animal that the colonists at Port Jackson call the native cat: its colour was light red with small white spots.

The principal object of my investigation was to find an opening in the bottom of the bay communicating with a large sheet of water that we had seen from the hills to the southward; but as we were not successful in finding any it was supposed that its communication with the sea must be to the westward of Cape Brewster. Mr. Hunter and Mr. Cunningham had previously made an excursion in that direction to the summit of a hill, named by the latter gentleman after Thomas Andrew Knight, Esquire, the President of the Horticultural Society. From this elevation they had a good view of the water which appeared to be either a strait or an inlet of considerable size; it was subsequently called Rothsay Water. The country between it and our encampment was very rocky and rugged; but although almost destitute of soil it was sprinkled with some dwarf timber of various descriptions; and, had it not been for the late fires, there would have been a good share of grass.

The fires were still burning; and while we were employed upon the vessel the little grass that had before escaped the flames was consumed before our eyes, which greatly increased the oppressive heat we were experiencing. The thermometer during the day, exposed to a current of air and shaded from the sun, generally indicated a temperature of between 94 and 98 degrees; and on one occasion although it was exposed to a fresh sea-breeze the mercury stood at 101 degrees at noon: at night however we were usually relieved by its falling to 75 degrees; and at two o'clock in the morning it generally stood at 73 degrees. The maximum and minimum temperature during fourteen days was 101 degrees and 72 1/2 degrees. The daily range of the thermometer was as much as 20 degrees, while the mercury on board did not rise or fall more than 3 or 4 degrees. This great difference is to be attributed to the cooling power of the dew which was precipitated most copiously every night upon the surface of the earth; whilst the water, not being so easily affected by this nightly radiation, took so much longer to cool. In the daytime the reverse took place; for the earth being much more heated by the action of the sun's rays than the water, the temperature on shore was much greater than on the sea.

We had no thermometer with us that could measure the heat of the sand upon which our tents were erected. Mr. Hunter placed his pocket-thermometer in it but the mercury reaching the top of the tube, which was graduated to 130 degrees, he was obliged to withdraw it to preserve the instrument from being damaged. On one occasion we had a hot land-wind from the South-East that veered round as the day advanced to North-East, during which the thermometer stood at 96 degrees; generally however we had a fresh sea-breeze from the north-west, with clear and fine weather; but towards the latter part of our visit we had some very cloudy dull days and a few showers of rain: this change hurried my departure; and we considered ourselves fortunate in embarking our provisions and bread without getting them wetted.

On the 5th, after two ineffectual attempts to heave the cutter off the ground, she floated.

October 8.

And by the 8th, everything being embarked, we made preparations to quit this place which had afforded us the means of repairing our damage and stopping for the present the progress of an injury which had been every day assuming a more serious aspect.

The country in the vicinity of the bay which, from the use we made of it, was called Careening Bay, is only slightly covered with a poor, stony soil; but notwithstanding this drawback the hills are well wooded and vegetation so abundant that, had it not been for the conflagration which has lately spoiled the trees of their leaves, the country would have appeared pleasing and verdant.

The following is a list of some of the trees indigenous to the shores and neighbourhood of Careening Bay, for which I am indebted to Mr. Cunningham:—

COLUMN 1: NATURAL ORDER NAME. COLUMN 2: LINNAEAN SYSTEM NAME. COLUMN 3: ENGLISH NAME. COLUMN 4: QUALITY OF THE WOOD. COLUMN 5: HEIGHT OF TREE IN FEET. COLUMN 6: DIAMETER OF TREE IN INCHES.

Leguminosae : Bauhinia microphylla. Cunn. manuscripts : Mountain Ebony : Hard, coarse grain, wet, black-heart : 10 to 20 : 5 to 8.

Mimoseae : Inga, sp. : Acacia-podded Inga : Unknown : 12 to 25 : 4 to 5.

Sterculiaceae : Sterculia, sp. : Variegated-flowered Sterculia : Soft and spongy : 12 to 20 : 4 to 6.

Oleinae : Chionanthus axillaris. Brown : Axillary-flowering Fringe Tree : Unknown : 10 to 15 : 4.

Oleinae : Olea paniculata. Brown : Panicled-flowering Olive : Unknown : 15 to 25 : 6 to 8.

Rhamneae : Zizyphus, sp. : Australian Jujube : Close grain, wood white : 10 to 30 : 4 to 16.

Proteaceae : Hakea arborescens. Brown : Tree Hakea : Like Eucalyptus, hard and heavy : 15 : 4 to 6.

Ebenaceae : Maba laurina. Brown : Laurel-leaved Date-plum : Soft, white wood, sap yellow : 10 to 20 : 4 to 6.

Malvaceae : Hibiscus tiliaceus. L. : Lime Tree-leaved Hibiscus : Brown wood, moderately hard : 10 to 25 : 4 to 8.

Santalaceae : Exocarpus latifolia. Brown : Tropical Native Cherry : Hard, white wood, bark green : 10 to 15 : 4 to 6.

Myrtaceae : Eucalyptus, sp. : Small-flowering Gum : Moderately hard, but useless for mechanical purposes : 20 to 35 : 18.

Myrtaceae : Eucalyptus, sp. : Large-fruited Gum : Moderately hard, but useless for mechanical purposes : 20 to 35 : 18.

Verbenaceae : Vitex. sp. allied to glabrata. Brown : - : Unknown : 20 to 25 : 6.

Capparides : Capparis sp. (?) : Gouty-stemmed Capparis : Soft, spongy, and full of sap : 30 : 9 feet.

Cycadeae : Cycas media. Brown : Australian Cycas, or Sago Palm : Fibrous and coarse, similar to Palm : 4 to 15 : 4 to 6.

Sapoteae : Mimusops parvifolia. Brown : Small-leaved Zapadilla : Close grain : 10 to 15 : 4 to 5.

Meliaceae : Carapa, sp. closely related to molluccensis. Lam. : Maritime Carapa : Soft and brittle (a mangrove) : 25 : 6.

"From the summit of the ridge," says Mr. Cunningham, "immediately above Careening Bay, the country continues in a series of barren, stony hills of ordinary elevation, divided by small valleys equally sterile and rugged; clothed, nevertheless, with small trees of a stunted growth, and of species common to the bay of our encampment; nor was there remarked the least change in the habit or state of fructification of the several plants, throughout the whole space of an estimated distance of six miles south of the tents.

"The summits of the hills are, for the most part, very rocky and bare of soil; and that of the valleys, or lower lands, appeared very shallow, of a reddish colour, and of a very poor, hungry nature. The rocks, with which the ground is very generally covered, are of the same sort of sandstone as is found upon the hills above the encampment; but among them we observed a good deal of quartz, remarkable for its purity, of which some specimens were observed in a crystallized state."

"In the season that succeeds that of the rains, the hills are covered with a lofty, reedy grass, whose dead stalks now form a matted stubble among the trees, as was remarked on some patches of the lower lands that had escaped the conflagrations, which at this period are extending their ravages far and wide. Several well-worn watercourses, long since dry, were crossed in the route, and, having the descent to the westward, show at what point their waters, during the rainy season, make their exit.

"No quadrupeds were seen upon this excursion, and only the usual indications of kangaroos: a few birds were observed on the wing, chiefly, however, of the pigeon kind."

We saw no kangaroos or opossums of any kind during our visit; but if we may judge from the number of snakes at so advanced a period of the dry season when they are generally in a dormant state, reptiles are very numerous. Mr. Cunningham found a very curious species of lizard, remarkable for having a thin, membranaceous appendage attached to the back of its head and round the neck and falling over its shoulders in folds as low as the fore arm. It was sent by Mr. Cunningham to the College of Surgeons where it is now preserved. Small lizards, centipedes, and scorpions were numerous about our encampment; and the trees and bushes about the tents were infested by myriads of hornets and other insects, particularly mosquitoes and small sandflies which annoyed us very much in the evenings.

Besides the huts on the beach which were merely strips of bark bent over to form a shelter from the sun, there were others on the top of the hill over the tents of a larger and more substantial construction; no two however were built after the same fashion. One of them was thus erected: Two walls of stones, piled one upon the other to the height of three feet, formed the two ends; and saplings were laid across to support a covering of bark or dried grass: the front, which faced the east, was not closed; but the back, which slanted from the roof to the ground, appeared to have been covered with bark like the roof.

The other huts were made somewhat of a similar construction, as they are represented in Woodcut 5, but all differed in shape: it did not appear that they had been very recently inhabited for the greater part of the thatch was burnt.

The natives did not make their appearance during our stay; and although an interview with them would have afforded us both amusement and information yet their absence was perhaps more desirable since all our provisions and stores were on shore; and their intimacy would probably have produced a quarrel which, for our own sakes as well as for the safety of future visitors, was best avoided.

The fireplaces near them were strewed with the nuts of the sago palm, the fruit of which appears to be generally eaten by the natives of the north and north-west coasts.

October 9.

On the 9th we left Careening Bay; and passing out between Cape Brewster and the Coronation Islands entered a spacious sound which was called Brunswick Bay in honour of that illustrious house. From Cape Brewster the land extended for six miles to Cape Wellington round which there appeared to be a communication with the water seen over the hills of Careening Bay.

In front of the bay a cluster of islands extends from the north end of the Coronation Islands to the westward and south-westward and approaches the mainland; which, to the westward of Cape Wellington, was only seen in detached portions.

October 10.

The next day, having passed the previous night at anchor off Cape Brewster, it was calm until noon: the sea-breeze then set in and carried us quickly round Cape Wellington into a considerable opening, trending to the southward and bearing a river-like appearance. Having the wind and tide in our favour we stood on and continued to run up until high-water; when, as no anchorage had been found, we were obliged to proceed against the tide. At seven miles from the entrance we passed Rothsay Water, a considerable opening on the east side, and opposite to it was another which was called Munster Water; in front of it were several rocky islands covered with grass and trees. We continued to steel up the main stream and passed a point whence the direction of the river changed to South-East; and after running five miles farther entered an extensive sheet of water, St. George's Basin, in which were the two large islands of St. Andrew and St. Patrick. The evening was now drawing near and we hauled round Strong-tide Point into a strait separating St. Andrew's Island from the main; here we were at last successful in finding an anchorage out of the strength of the tide which, in the narrower parts of the river, was setting at the rate of four and a half and five knots.

October 11 to 12.

The further examination of the opening was continued by our boats; and whilst Mr. Roe explored the northern and eastern shores of the basin I was occupied in examining the river which falls into it at its south-east end.

Mount Trafalgar is a conspicuous object on the north-eastern side of the basin; and another hill close to it being equally remarkable was called Mount Waterloo. These two hills rise precipitously from the plain; and being capped by a wall-like battlement bear a strong resemblance to Steep Head in Port Warrender.

Upon leaving the cutter we crossed St. George's Basin which appeared to receive several streams on the south side and landed on a small wooded islet for bearings; from which the summits of Mounts Waterloo and Trafalgar bore in a line. About two miles farther on the banks of the river again contracted and trended to the south-east on so direct a course that, from the distant land being hidden by the horizon, the river bore the appearance of being a strait. We were now twenty-two miles from the sea and as there was every appearance of this proving a considerable stream it was honoured by the title of Prince Regent.

While I was employed upon the island with the theodolite Mr. Hunter, my companion, shot seven or eight brace of birds: they were of two kinds; one a species of oyster-catcher and the other a sandpiper.

The island is of small extent and is connected to the land by a shoal communication; it is rocky and thickly wooded; the trees were chiefly acacias. The marks of considerable floods were noticed upon its shores; and the wrecks of very large trees were thrown up ten or twelve feet above the high-water mark.

We re-embarked at a quarter to twelve o'clock and pulled fourteen miles farther up the river when a slight turn hid the island on which we had landed from our view; from the width of a mile and a half at the entrance it had decreased to about two-thirds of a mile and still continued gradually to get narrower: its banks throughout are bounded by steep rocky hills rising to the height of two or three hundred feet which, in some parts, were nearly overhanging the water; several mangrove-inlets communicated with the river on either side but they were all salt-water creeks.

The rocks on the hills are formed of a close-grained siliceous sandstone; and the ground is covered with loose masses of the same rock, with spinifex growing between them; this plant is of itself sufficient to indicate the poverty of the soil. As we passed a small round islet an alligator which had been basking in the sun alarmed at our approach, rushed into the water, and, as we came near the spot, rose to reconnoitre us, but instantly sunk again.

The sea-breeze being unimpeded by the intervention of land blew so strong that, when the flood ceased, we were enabled to proceed for some time against the ebb-tide. It also prevented our suffering from the heat which would otherwise have been very oppressive for the thermometer stood all day at 96 and 98 degrees.

At the distance of about seventeen miles from the basin we were surprised by hearing the noise of a fall of water; but distrusting our ears we were not convinced of the fact, until an opening in the mangroves exposed to our view a cascade of water of one hundred and sixty feet in breadth, falling from a considerable height. As the breeze still enabled us to make way against the tide we did not stay to examine it; and therefore deferred our visit until our return.

Three miles farther up we put ashore to rest and refresh the boat's crew; and whilst I was occupied at the beach Mr. Hunter ascended the hill to examine the country but found only a continuation of the same rocky hills and sterile desert. The character of the river had assumed nearly the same appearance as Hunter and Roe's Rivers in Prince Frederic's Harbour, excepting that the hills were less precipitous and rather more wooded. About two miles beyond our station the width began to decrease and the stream to take a more winding course: the banks were also lower and the mangroves appeared to increase in quantity; but unlike the other rivers the bottom was of sand and there was scarcely any mud, excepting on the banks where the mangroves grew. Several places were observed upon the hills where the trees and grass had been burnt by fire, but otherwise there was no sign of the banks of the river ever being frequented by natives.

By the time we had refreshed ourselves it was getting late and we set out on our return; the tide had now ebbed considerably and exposed several banks which, having been covered, had before escaped our observation; we grounded on several as we proceeded, which detained us so long that it was dark when we passed the cascade, and by the time we reached the island on which we had seen the alligator in the morning, the tide had commenced to flow.

Here we determined upon remaining until the ebb; and after satisfying ourselves that there were no alligators upon it landed, and kindled a fire upon the dry summit of the island under a large log of wood that had been washed down the river and deposited there by the freshes. Whilst our refreshment was preparing we searched about for alligators, but not finding any and being quite overpowered by the fatigues of the day, we composed ourselves to rest; during which, although the alligators did not trouble us, we were greatly incommoded by sandflies and mosquitoes; but neither our fear of the former, nor the annoyance of the latter, prevented our sleeping as soundly as we should have done on a more safe and luxurious couch. Mr. Hunter also, who for some time after the rest had fallen asleep walked about in order to keep on the alert, very soon followed our example and we happily passed the night without accident.

At three o'clock the tide began to ebb and the boat-keeper awakened us to re-embark on our return. On looking about we were surprised to find that the tide had reached within three feet of our fireplace and must have risen at least thirty feet since we landed. The air was now so cold from a copious fall of dew that we were obliged to resort to our blankets and cloaks for warmth; but with the sun the mercury rose from 80 to 88 and 90 degrees; and the morning being quite calm became excessively sultry.

On reaching the cutter we found that Mr. Roe had returned the preceding evening from having examined the north-east shore of the basin and traced two openings that trend for a short distance in on either side of the mounts. On his return he pulled round the south side of St. Andrew's Island and landed at its south-west end where he made a fire which spread rapidly through the dried grass and set the surface of the island in a blaze. It continued to burn for several days afterwards.

During our absence the shore of the bay of anchorage had also been examined and several pools of water were discovered, from which we filled our empty casks. Mr. Cunningham ascended the hills which rose nearly perpendicularly for at least 400 feet; they were thickly clothed with trees and plants from which he obtained a large addition to his collection. In wandering about through the spinifex upon the cliffs he saw four small kangaroos; and near the waterholes one of the crew saw a fifth, of a gray colour and of a larger size than usual.

Our people were now all laid up with sores upon their feet and legs from cuts and bruises received in scrambling over the rocks; and several were affected by ophthalmia. Besides this the rainy season was approaching; it commenced last year about the 18th of October, and as the weather was now close and sultry and daily getting more unfavourable, the change was evidently at hand.

October 13.

We therefore determined upon quitting the coast as soon as possible; and as there was nothing to detain us here any longer we weighed the following afternoon as soon as the tide commenced to ebb.

Our distance from the mouth was sixteen miles and the breeze blew directly against us but, as the tide was running out with great strength, we succeeded in reaching an anchorage in Brunswick Bay before dark; not however without incurring considerable danger in passing through strong tide ripplings when abreast of Rothsay Water; which caused me to suspect that it communicated with Prince Frederic's Harbour.

In beating out of the river the cutter leaked a good deal, which showed that our late repair at Careening Bay had not placed us without the pale of danger: and I now began to fear that the leak had been occasioned more from the defect of her fastenings than from the accident that happened to her keel; so that we were in every respect as badly off as before the cutter was careened. This made me decide upon instantly returning to Port Jackson; but it was with great regret that I found it necessary to resolve so; for the land to the westward appeared so indented as to render the necessity of our departure at this moment particularly vexatious.

October 14.

The next day therefore we passed out to sea to the westward of Baudin's Keraudren Island.

The wind, upon leaving the coast, being West-South-West and West-North-West, carried us as far to the north as 11 degrees 43 minutes before we met with southerly winds; after which they gradually veered to the south-east trade.

October 30.

On the 30th at midnight we were upon the parallel of 19 degrees 33 minutes, on which the Tryal rocks have been said to exist; in order therefore to be on the safe side we tacked to the northward for four hours and then passed back again until daylight when we resumed our course.

October 31.

At ten o'clock a.m. we were in the latitude assigned to these rocks by the brig Greyhound, the master of which vessel, on his arrival at Port Jackson from China last year, published an account in the Sydney Gazette of his having seen them at a distance. Had he been certain of the fact he would not have hesitated to approach sufficiently near them to have made all on board sensible of their existence; but it appears that the greater part, if not the whole, of the crew were so obstinate that they either would not, or could not, see them.

Were the tracks of every vessel that has passed over this part laid down, I think there would remain very little belief of their existence; in my own opinion I am convinced that there is no danger of the sort between the coast of New Holland and the meridian of 102 degrees east longitude. The Dutch account records this danger to be forty miles in extent from east to west and fifteen miles in breadth; and the Danish account describes it to extend for twenty-four miles from north-east to south-west. Was there a danger of so considerable an extent in existence in the direct track of outward-bound China-ships, it is hardly possible to conceive it could be passed without having been repeatedly seen.

The existence of Cloates Island also, of which there are so many undeniable and particular descriptions, has been for a long time questioned by navigators; I think however there is no doubt that it does exist but that it is no other than the mainland to the southward of the North West Cape. The descriptions of this island by Captain Nash of the ship House of Austria, as well as that of the Haeslingfield in 1743, and subsequently by Captain Pelly, accord exactly with the appearance of this promontory; nor is the longitude much in error when we consider the strength of the currents which set to the north-west, during the easterly monsoon, in the space between New Holland and Java. Captain Nash places Cloates Island 7 degrees 26 minutes East of Java Head, and the Haeslingfield 7 degrees 12 minutes; the mean of the two accounts is 7 degrees 19 minutes; the true difference of the meridians of Java Head and the North West Cape is 9 degrees 3 minutes, a difference only of 1 degree 44 minutes.

May not the Tryal Rocks also be some of the low islands that skirt the coast? The account of them by the Dutch sloop in 1718 places them in latitude 19 degrees 30 minutes and eighty leagues from the coast of New Holland; but, unless it is Bedout Island (a sandy islet seen by Captain Baudin, in longitude 118 degrees 50 minutes) there is no part of the coast that can at all accord with the description in respect to latitude. The rocks seen by the Fredensberg Castle in 1777 are certainly the Montebello Isles, which answer the Dane's description exactly; for they are very low and rocky and abound in reefs, one of which extends a long distance to the north-west from Trimouille Island. There remains no doubt in my mind but that Barrow's Island and Trimouille Island, and the numerous reefs around them, are the identical Tryal Rocks which have been the theme and dread of every voyager to the eastern islands for the two last centuries.* Captain Flinders** spent some days in an ineffectual search for them and has, I think, decidedly proved their non-existence between the parallels of 20 1/4 and 21 degrees, and the meridians of 103 1/2 and 106 1/2 degrees. The above islands accord exactly as to latitude; and the only argument against the probability of this supposition is their longitude; but during the month of July the current sets with great strength to the westward and might occasion considerable errors in ships' reckonings, which, in former days, were so imperfectly kept that no dependence can be placed upon them.

(*Footnote. The Tryal Rocks obtained their name from the English ship Tryal, said to have been lost upon them in 1622 (vide Horsburg's Indian Directory volume 1 page 100). This danger having been once laid down will, perhaps, never be erased from the chart, although it is generally believed not to exist. It has been placed in various positions according to the account which the compiler gives most credence to. In Arrowsmith's large chart of the South Sea it is laid down in 20 degrees 40 minutes South and 104 1/2 degrees East.)

(**Footnote. Flinders volume 2 pages 261 to 263.)

1820. November 1.

The following afternoon the man at the masthead reported breakers in the West-North-West, and when I went to examine from thence I was for some time equally deceived: the helm was put up and we bore down towards them but, as we approached, they vanished and we found we had been deceived by the reflection of the sun's rays upon the water.* After being sufficiently assured of our mistake, the course was resumed.

(*Footnote. The deceptious appearances that are frequently observed at sea, such as the reflection of the sun, ripplings occasioned by the meeting of two opposite currents, whales asleep upon the surface of the water, shoals of fish, fog-banks, and the extraordinary effect of mirage, than which, as an optical illusion, nothing is more deceiving, have doubtless given birth to many of these non-existing shoals and islands. Were charts to be published (one does exist in manuscript, in the Hydrographical Office at the Admiralty) with all the islands and dangers laid down that have been reported by good and respectable authorities, the navigator would be in a constant fever of anxiety and alarm for the safety of his vessel. The charts of the present day teem with examples of this sort and many islands and reefs are laid down which have not been seen since their first discovery, and which perhaps never existed at all, unless, like Sabrina Island, they were thrown up by a submarine volcano, and disappeared immediately afterwards.)

November 2.

And by the following noon we had passed the parallel of the southernmost limit assigned to these redoubtable rocks.

When we were on the starboard tack two nights before, the cutter leaked so much that we were upwards of an hour pumping out the water that had collected in three hours.

On the 2nd of November we crossed the Tropic of Capricorn in 100 1/2 degrees East.

November 4.

And on the 4th in latitude 28 degrees the trade-wind ceased: the winds were however variable between South and South-East until we reached the latitude of 31 1/2 degrees and longitude 95 degrees 20 minutes; when the wind veered by North-East to North-West and West-North-West and we made rapid progress to the south-east. Between the parallels of 40 and 42 degrees, we had the wind always to the westward of North by East and South by West, with the current uniformly setting to the northward, sometimes at the rate of three-quarters of a mile per hour; to the south-west of Cape Leeuwin it affected us more than one knot: scarcely any easterly current was observed.

November 27.

On the 27th at eight p.m. we sounded in forty-eight fathoms.

November 28.

And at one o'clock the following morning saw the Black Pyramid and soon after entered Bass Strait by the passage on the south side of King's Island. After running into the latitude of Sea Elephant Bay on the east side of King's Island, in an unsuccessful search after some rocks laid down in the French charts but not noticed in those of Captain Flinders, we bore up; and at eleven p.m. passed Sir Roger Curtis Island.

November 29.

And the next day cleared the strait.

1820. December 2.

On the 2nd we were off Mount Dromedary; and the wind blew strong from the East, the weather assuming a threatening appearance.

December 3.

The next day we passed the heads of Jervis Bay at the distance of three or four leagues, and the course was altered to North and North by West parallel to the coast. At noon an indifferent observation for the latitude and a sight of the land, which for a few minutes was visible through the squalls, showed that our situation was very much nearer to the shore than we had expected, a circumstance that was attributed to a current setting into the bight to the northward of Jervis Bay. The wind from the eastward was light and baffling and this, added to the critical situation we were in, made me very anxious to obtain an offing before night for there was every appearance of a gale from the eastward.

After two or three squalls a breeze sprung up from the East-South-East with heavy rain, and a North-North-East course was steered, which should have taken us wide of the coast: having run thirty-seven miles on that course we steered North by East four miles and then North 1/2 West that we might not be more than twenty miles from the shore in the morning and sufficiently near to see the lighthouse on the south head of Port Jackson; but, from an unusual westerly current, we found ourselves, very nearly to our destruction, considerably out of our reckoning.

December 4.

At 2 hours 40 minutes a.m., by the glare of a flash of lightning, the land was suddenly discovered close under our lee: we hauled to the wind immediately but the breeze at the same moment fell, and the swell being heavy, the cutter made but little progress. Sail was made as quickly as possible and as the cutter headed North-North-East there was every likelihood of her clearing the land; but a quarter of an hour afterwards, by the light of another flash, it was again seen close to us, stretching from right ahead to our lee-quarter and so near that the breakers were distinctly seen gleaming through the darkness of the night. A third flash of lightning confirmed our fears as to the dangerous situation we were in; and as there was not room to veer the helm was immediately put a-lee; but, as was feared, the cutter refused stays. We were now obliged to veer as a last resource, and the sails being manoeuvred so as to perform this operation as quickly as possible, we fortunately succeeded in the attempt and the cutter's head was brought to the wind upon the other tack without her striking the rocks: we were now obliged to steer as close to the wind as possible in order to weather the reef on which the sea was breaking, within five yards to leeward of the vessel: our escape appeared to be next to impossible: the night was of a pitchy darkness and we were only aware of our situation from time to time as the lightning flashed: the interval therefore between the flashes, which were so vivid as to illumine the horizon round, was of a most awful and appalling nature, and the momentary succession of our hopes and fears which crowded rapidly upon each other, may be better imagined than described. We were evidently passing the line of breakers very quickly; but our escape appeared to be only possible through the interposition of a Divine Providence, for, by the glare of a vivid stream of forked lightning, the extremity of the reef was seen within ten yards from our lee bow; and the wave which floated the vessel the next moment broke upon the rocks with a surf as high as the vessel's masthead: at this dreadful moment the swell left the cutter, and she struck upon a rock with such force that the rudder was nearly lifted out of the gudgeons: fortunately we had a brave man and a good seaman at the helm, for instantly recovering the tiller, by a blow from which he had been knocked down when the vessel struck, he obeyed my orders with such attention and alacrity that the sails were kept full; so that by her not losing way, she cleared the rock before the succeeding wave flowed from under her, and the next moment a flash of lightning showed to our almost unbelieving eyes that we had passed the extremity of the rocks and were in safety! This sudden deliverance from the brink of destruction was quite unexpected by all on board our little vessel and drew from us a spontaneous acknowledgement of gratitude to the only source from whence our providential escape could be attributed.

It was now doubtful whether we could clear the point under our lee which we first saw, but as the next flash of lightning showed that we were between the heads of Botany Bay, and that the point on which we had nearly been wrecked was, according to Captain Hunter's plan, Cape Banks, its northern head, we bore up and in half an hour were safe at anchor. Daylight now broke and with it the weather began to get worse, so that we were obliged to remain at this anchorage, which was on the south side of the bay near Point Sutherland, until the next morning; when we got under sail and anchored near the opposite shore, under the guard-house, from which the soldiers supplied us with some refreshments.

December 6.

On the 6th His Excellency the Governor was informed of our arrival and of our intention to go round to Port Jackson as soon as the weather cleared up; but we were detained by it until the 9th; when with some difficulty we cleared the entrance of the bay; at noon the anchor was once more dropped in Sydney Cove, after an absence of twenty-five weeks and three days.

END OF VOLUME 1.