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Table of Contents

Passage from Cape Van Diemen to Careening Bay.

Not finding water, visit Prince Regent's River, and procure it from the Cascade.

Farther examination of the river.

Amphibious mud-fish.

Anchor in Halfway Bay, and explore Munster Water and Hanover Bay in a boat.

Visit Hanover Bay, and procure water and fish.

Interview with natives.

The surgeon speared.

Retaliate upon them, and capture their rafts and weapons.

Description of their implements.

Port George the Fourth.

Islands to the westward.

Red Island of Captain Heywood.

Strong tides.

Camden Bay.

Buccaneer's Archipelago.

Cygnet Bay.

Dangerous situation of the brig.

High and rapid tides.

Cape Leveque.

Examination of the coast to Cape Latouche Treville.

Remarkable effect of mirage.

Leave the coast for Mauritius.

Voyage thither.

Arrival at Port Louis.

Refit.

Some account of the island.

1821. July 9.

Our course was held to the south-west towards Cape Londonderry; on which, with a fresh South-East wind, we proceeded with rapidity.

July 12.

On the morning of the 12th, Eclipse Hill and Sir Graham Moore's Islands were seen, and in the afternoon we passed Troughton Island; at sunset, Point Hillock bore South thirteen miles, whence we steered to the West-North-West and North-West, and rounded the north end of the long reef, to the westward of Cape Bougainville.

July 13.

The next morning, at daylight, Cassini Island was seen bearing South by West; here we were detained for two days by light baffling winds and calms.

July 14.

During the night of the 14th, the wind was light from the westward, and we stood off and on to the north of Cassini Island.

July 15.

At half-past one o'clock a.m., having sounded in thirty-three fathoms, we shoaled suddenly to fourteen, when the vessel's head was put to the southward, but the breeze was so very light, that she had hardly steerage way: by the light of the moon a line of breakers was seen two miles off, under our lee: we had now shoaled to nine fathoms on a rocky bottom, but its great irregularity prevented our dropping the anchor until the last minute, since it would have been to the certain loss of the only one we had. In order, therefore, to save it, if possible, the boat was lowered, and sent to sound between the vessel and the breakers. Finding we made no progress off the reef by standing to the southward, we tacked; and, a light breeze springing up from the westward, we drew off the bank on a north-west course, and in the space of a mile and a half deepened the water gradually to thirty fathoms.

July 16.

The next morning, at a quarter past eight o'clock, the breakers were again seen; they were found to be 24 minutes 44 seconds West of Troughton Island. The wind was too light to allow of our approaching, we therefore tacked off to the westward, and soon lost sight of them; at noon we were in latitude 13 degrees 26 minutes 26 seconds. The breakers from the masthead, bearing south-east, distant eight or nine miles.

During the ensuing night, having a fresh breeze, we stood first to the westward, and afterwards to the south-east.

July 17.

At seven o'clock the next morning no land was in sight, but breakers were seen extending from South by West to South-West by South, about five miles off; and two miles beyond them was another line of breakers, bearing from South-South-West to South-West by West. As we steered obliquely towards them, they were noticed to extend still farther to the eastward, but apparently in detached patches; our soundings, as we stood on, shoaled to fifteen fathoms; and we were shortly within half a mile of an appearance of shoal-water, in thirteen fathoms on a rocky bottom. The wind now began to lessen; and, for fear of being becalmed, I was anxious to get an offing. By our observations, we found the breakers this morning were connected with those passed yesterday, and are a part of Baudin's Holothurie Banks. The French charts of this part are very vague and incorrect; for our situation at noon upon their plan (with respect to the position of Cassini Island) was in the centre of their reefs.

At noon we were in 13 degrees 38 minutes South, when a freshening breeze from South-East enabled us to make progress to the southward. At two o'clock some of the Montalivet Islands were seen; and before three o'clock, an island was seen bearing South, which proved, as we stood towards it, to be the northernmost of a group lying off the north-west end of Bigge's Island; they were seen last year from Cape Pond, and also from the summit of the hills over Careening Bay.

July 19 to 21.

At daylight (19th) having laid to all night, this group was about six leagues off, bearing from South 35 1/2 to 49 degrees East, but a continuation of calms and light winds detained us in sight of them until the 21st.

This group consists of eight or nine islands, and appears to be those called by the French the Maret Isles; they are from one quarter to a mile and a half in extent, and are rocky and flat-topped; the shores are composed of steep, rocky cliffs. They are fronted on the west side by a rocky reef extending in a North-North-East and South-South-West direction.

During the calm weather, in the vicinity of this group, we had seen many fish and sea-snakes; one of the latter was shot and preserved; its length was four feet four inches; the head very small; it had neither fins nor gills, and respired like land-snakes; on each scale was a rough ridge: it did not appear to be venomous. A shark was also taken, eleven feet long; and many curious specimens of crustacea and medusa were obtained by the towing-net. Some of the latter were so diaphanous as to be perfectly invisible when immersed in the water. Among the former were a species of phyllosoma, and the Alima hyalina of Leach.*

(*Footnote. Cancer vitreus. Banks and Solander manuscripts. Lin. Gmel. tome 1 page 2991. Astacus vitreus. Fabr. Syst. ent. page 417 n. 8.)

At daylight we were about four leagues to the West-North-West of Captain Baudin's Colbert Island; at the back of which were seen some patches of the Coronation Islands. The night was passed at anchor off the northernmost Coronation Island.

July 23.

And the following afternoon we anchored at about half a mile from the sandy beach of Careening Bay.

As soon as the vessel was secured, we visited the shore, and recognised the site of our last year's encampment, which had suffered no alteration, except what had been occasioned by a rapid vegetation: a sterculia, the stem of which had served as one of the props of our mess-tent, and to which we had nailed a sheet of copper with an inscription, was considerably grown; and the gum had oozed out in such profusion where the nails had pierced the bark that it had forced one corner of the copper off.

The large gouty-stemmed tree on which the Mermaid's name had been carved in deep indented characters remained without any alteration, and seemed likely to bear the marks of our visit longer than any other memento we had left.

The sensations experienced at revisiting a place which had so seasonably afforded us a friendly shelter and such unlooked-for convenience for our purposes, can only be estimated by those who have experienced them; and it is only to strangers to such feelings that it will appear ridiculous to say, that even the nail to which our thermometer had been suspended, was the subject of pleasurable recognition.

We then bent our steps to the water-gully, but, to our mortification, it was quite dried up, and exhibited no vestige of its having contained any for some time. From the more luxuriant and verdant appearance of the trees and grass than the country hereabout assumed last year, when the water was abundant, we had felt assured of finding it and therefore our disappointment was the greater.

July 24.

After another unsuccessful search in the bight, to the eastward of Careening Bay, in which we fruitlessly examined a gully that Mr. Cunningham informed me had last year produced a considerable stream, we gave up all hopes of success here, and directed our attention to the cascade of Prince Regent's River; which we entered the next afternoon, with the wind and tide in our favour, and at sunset reached an anchorage at the bottom of St. George's Basin, a mile and a half to the northward of the islet that lies off the inner entrance of the river, in seven fathoms muddy sand.

July 26.

The following morning at half-past four o'clock Mr. Montgomery accompanied me in the whale-boat to visit the cascade; we reached it at nine o'clock and found the water, to our inexpressible satisfaction, falling abundantly.

While the boat's crew rested and filled their baricas, I ascended the rocks over which the water was falling and was surprised to find its height had been so underrated when we passed by it last year: it was then thought to be about forty feet, but I now found it could not be less than one hundred and fifty. The rock, a fine-grained siliceous sandstone, is disposed in horizontal strata, from six to twelve feet thick, each of which projects about three feet from that above it, and forms a continuity of steps to the summit, which we found some difficulty in climbing; but where the distance between the ledges was great we assisted our ascent by tufts of grass firmly rooted in the luxuriant moss that grew abundantly about the water-courses. On reaching the summit, I found that the fall was supplied from a stream winding through rugged chasms and thickly-matted clusters of plants and trees, among which the pandanus bore a conspicuous appearance and gave a picturesque richness to the place. While admiring the wildness of the scene, Mr. Montgomery joined me; we did not however succeed in following the stream for more than a hundred yards, for at that distance its windings were so confused among rocks and spinifex that we could not trace its source. After collecting for Mr. Cunningham, who was confined on board by sickness, a few specimens of those plants which, to me, appeared the most novel, we commenced our descent, and reached the bottom in safety; by which time the tide was ebbing so rapidly that we set off immediately on our return with a view of arriving on board by low-water, in order that no time might be lost in sending the boats up with our empty water-casks.

During our absence Mr. Roe, who was fast recovering from the effects of his fall, had obtained the sun's meridional altitude upon the islet at the entrance of the river, which gave 15 degrees 25 minutes 46 seconds for its latitude, differing from the plan of last year by only fifteen seconds.

VIEW OF THE CASCADE IN PRINCE REGENT'S RIVER. From a sketch by P.P. King. Published in May 1825 by John Murray, London.

July 27.

The following day the boats were despatched up the river, but as the ebb-tide ran until after four o'clock it was late at night before they reached the cascade, having experienced some delay by running upon the sandbanks, which, above Alligator Island, are very numerous and form a narrow winding channel of not more than twelve feet deep; these banks are dry at low-water, and are composed of a yellow quartzose sand. At midnight, as soon as the launch and cutter were loaded, for it did not take more than half an hour to fill the casks, I despatched them to the vessel with orders to return the following night for another load, and in the meantime I purposed continuing the examination of the river, of which we knew nothing beyond a few miles above the cascade.

July 28.

We were, however, unable to set out until half flood the next morning, on account of the shoalness of the channel.

For ten miles we found little or no variation either in its character or course: its windings were only just sufficient to intercept a clear view; for so direct was its course, that from this part the high round hill near the entrance was seen midway between the hills that form the banks of the river.

Proceeding a little way farther, we were suddenly whirled into a rapid amongst large stones, in the midst of which, as the stream was running at the rate of five or six knots, the grapnel was instantly dropped, which had the effect of reversing the boat's head. After this the grapnel was weighed, and by very great exertions we extricated ourselves from the rapid, and then landed at a hundred yards below the fall, on the east bank, where the mangroves were so thick that it was with difficulty we penetrated through them: having succeeded, we walked to the bank near the rapid, and found that it was occasioned by the tide falling over a barrier of rocks, which probably at low-water confines the fresh water above this place; a few minutes afterwards it was high-water, and the tide suddenly ceased to run; when the water became quite smooth and motionless.

A fresh-water rivulet, at that time the mere drainings of what occasionally is a torrent, joined the main river, just above the rapid, by a trickling stream; and made us the more desirous of extending our knowledge of this extraordinary river: we therefore re-embarked, and, passing the rapid, pulled up the river against the tide for a mile farther, where it was suddenly terminated by a beautiful fresh-water rivulet, whose clear, transparent stream was so great a contrast to the thick, muddied water we had so long been pulling through that it was a most gratifying sight, and amply repaid us for all our fatigue and exertions. The fresh water was separated from the salt tide by a gentle fall over rounded stones; but as the boat was unable to pass over them, we had only time to fill our water-vessels, in order to be certain of returning over the first rapid, before the strength of the stream rendered it dangerous to pass. The bed of the river at this second fall appeared to be about two hundred and fifty yards in breadth: its farther course was lost sight of by a sharp turn, first to the North-East, and then to the South-East, between high and rocky hills.

Large groves of pandanus and hibiscus and a variety of other plants were growing in great luxuriance upon the banks, but unhappily the sterile and rocky appearance of the country was some alloy to the satisfaction we felt at the first sight of the fresh water; as we did not, however, expect to find a good country, the pleasure was not much diminished, and we set off on our return, perfectly satisfied with the success of our labours: we were at this time about fifty miles from the sea.

The ebb-tide had fallen for an hour when we passed the first falls, but there was no appearance of that violence which we witnessed in the morning; probably because the stream had not reached its strength.

An alligator was seen on our return, swimming within two yards of the boat, and a musket, charged with a ball and buck-shot, was uselessly fired at it. The appearance of these animals in the water is very deceptious; they lie quite motionless, and resemble a branch of a tree floating with the tide; the snout, the eye, and some of the ridges of the back and tail being the only parts that are seen. The animal that we fired at was noticed for some time, but considered to be only a dead branch, although we were looking out for alligators, and approached within six yards of it before we found out our mistake: the length of this animal was from twelve to fifteen feet; I do not think that we have ever seen one more than twenty feet long.

We reached the cascade by four o'clock and remained there until our boats arrived for a second cargo of water, which was at midnight; as soon as the casks were filled, we set off on our return, but did not reach the brig until eight o'clock in the morning.

July 29.

The fatigue and exposure which attended our watering at this place were so great that I was obliged to give up the idea of completing it now. We had obtained, by the two trips, enough to last until the end of October, which, with the chance of finding more upon other parts of the coast, was sufficient for our intended mode of proceeding. The boats were therefore hoisted in, and preparations made to leave the anchorage.

The river appears to abound with fish, particularly with mullet; and porpoises were observed as high as the first falls, a distance of fifty miles from the sea. A curious species of mud-fish (chironectes sp. Cuvier) was noticed, of amphibious nature, and something similar to what we have frequently before seen; these were, however, much larger, being about nine inches long. At low water the mud-banks near the cascade that were exposed by the falling tide were covered with these fish, sporting about, and running at each other with open mouths; but as we approached, they so instantaneously buried themselves in the soft mud that their disappearance seemed the effect of magic: upon our retiring and attentively watching the spot, these curious animals would re-appear as suddenly as they had before vanished. We fired at several, but so sudden were their motions that they generally escaped; two or three only were procured, which appeared from their lying on the mud in an inactive state to have been asleep; they are furnished with very strong pectoral and ventral fins with which and with the anal fin, when required, they make a hole, into which they drop. When sporting on the mud, the pectoral fins are used like legs, upon which they move very quickly; but nothing can exceed the instantaneous movement by which they disappear. Those that were shot were taken on board, but on account of the extreme heat of the weather they had become so putrefied as to be totally unfit for preservation.

July 30.

The next day, the 30th, was spent in examining some bights in the narrow part of the channel near Gap Island, so named from a remarkable division in its centre, through which the high-tide flows, and gives it the appearance of being two islands. It was on this occasion that we explored Halfway Bay, where we were fortunate in finding good anchorage, and in which we also discovered a strait, that on a subsequent examination was found to communicate with Munster Water, and to insulate the land that forms the north-west shore of the bay: this island was called after the late Right Honourable Charles Greville, whose name has also been given to a family of plants (grevillea) that bears a prominent rank in the botany of this country. The strait, in which the tide was running at the rate of six or seven knots, was not more than one hundred and fifty yards wide; but in one part it was contracted to a much narrower compass, by a bed of rocks that nearly extended across the strait, and which must originally have communicated with the opposite shore.

We landed under the flat-topped hill, at the south end of Greville Island, among the mangroves which skirt the shore, and walked a few hundred yards round the point, to examine the course of the strait; but the way was so rugged, and we had so little time to spare, that we soon re-embarked and returned into Halfway Bay. The geological character of the island is a red-coloured, coarse-granular, siliceous sandstone, disposed in horizontal strata, and intersected by veins of crystallised quartz. The surface is covered by a shallow, reddish-coloured soil, producing a variety of shrubs and plants.

After this we crossed the river, and examined the two bays opposite to Gap Island, but found them so shoal and overrun with mangroves that no landing could be effected in any part. In both bays there is anchorage between the heads; but all the inner part is very shoal, and perhaps at low water there is not more than nine feet water within the heads. In the mid-stream of the river the bottom is deep, and is formed entirely of shells over which, on account of its being very narrow, the tide runs with great strength; and from the irregularity of the bottom forms numerous eddies and whirlpools, in which a boat is quite unmanageable.

During our absence, Mr. Bedwell examined our former watering-place, at the back of St. Andrew's Island, and on his return landed upon the sandy beach of a bay on the south-west side of the basin, but was unsuccessful in his search for water at both places.

The sea breeze freshened towards sunset, and fanned up the fires that had been burning for the last three days in several places upon the low land, and on the sides of the hills to the westward of Mount Trafalgar; before night they had all joined, and, spreading over the tops of the hills for a space of three miles, produced a singularly grand and magnificent effect.

1821. August 1.

At half past five o'clock the next morning we were under sail but, the breeze being light, had only time to reach the anchorage under Greville Island in Halfway Bay, before the tide turned against us. It was purposed to remain only during the flood; but, on examination, the place was found to be so well adapted for the purpose of procuring some lunar distances with the sun, to correspond with those taken last year at Careening Bay, that we determined upon seizing the opportunity; and as wood was abundant on the island and growing close to the shores, a party was formed to complete our holds with fuel, whilst Mr. Roe assisted me in taking observations upon a convenient station on the north point of the bay within Lammas Island, a small rocky islet covered with shrubs, and separated from the easternmost point of Greville Island by a very shoal and rocky channel.

During these occupations we examined Munster Water: on our way to it we landed on the reef off the east end of the Midway Isles, which was found to be more extensive than had been suspected, and to embrace the group of small rocks, which at high-water only just show their summits above the water; at high-tide there is at least fifteen feet water over it, but being low-water when we landed, the reef was dry. Upon it we found several varieties of coral, particularly Explanaria mesenterina, Lam.; Caryophylla fastigata, Lam.; and Porites subdigitata, Lam.: the only shell that we observed upon the reef was a Delphinula laciniata, Lam. (Turbo delphinus, Linn.). After obtaining bearings from its extremity, as also from the summit of the outer dry rock, we landed upon a small verdant-looking grassy mound, the northernmost islet of the group; but we found the verdure of its appearance was caused only by the abundance of the spinifex, through which we had, as usual, much difficulty in travelling. After procuring some bearings from its summit we re-embarked and pulled up Munster Water, supposing that it was connected with the strait at the back of Greville Island; but as the tide then flowing was running in a contrary direction to what was expected from the hypothesis we had formed, we began to suspect some other communication with the sea, and in this we were not deceived; for a narrow but a very deep strait opened suddenly to our view, at the bottom of the Water, through which some of the islands in the offing were recognised. In pulling through we had kept close to the south shore, that we might not miss the communication with Hanover Bay, but notwithstanding all our care we passed by without noticing it, on account of the deceptious appearance of the land; indeed the strait which we discovered leading to sea was not seen until we were within two hundred yards of it, and would also have escaped our observation had not the channel been so direct that the sea horizon was exposed to our view. At the bottom of this arm are two deep bays which were partially but sufficiently examined. In most parts of Munster Water there is good anchorage amongst several small rocky islands, on one of which we landed, and climbed its summit, but saw nothing to repay us for the trouble or the danger of the ascent: the surface was composed entirely of loose blocks of sandstone, which, when trod upon, would crumble away or roll down the nearly perpendicular face of the rock; and it was only by grasping the branches of the acacias and other trees that were firmly rooted in the interstices of the less-decomposed rocks that we were saved from being precipitated with them. On our return we passed through the channel on the west side of the Midway Isles which we found to be very deep and the stream very strong.

August 4.

The next day we pulled through the strait that insulates Greville Island, and found that it communicated with Munster Water at a part where we had yesterday concluded it likely to exist, and had in consequence steered towards it; but as we proceeded the probability became less and less, and we gave up the search when we were within three hundred yards of being actually in it.

We then pulled up Munster Water and afterwards through the strait to sea; and, landing on some dry rocks on a reef which projects off the west head of the strait, found that we were at the entrance of the bight, which was last year named Hanover Bay: after taking a set of bearings, we re-embarked and proceeded to the bottom of the bay which terminated in a shoal basin.

On our return we entered an opening in the rocky cliff which bore the appearance of being the outlet of a torrent stream; being low-water, there was not in many parts sufficient depth to float the boat; but after pulling up for half a mile, a muddy channel was found, which, at the end of another half mile, was terminated by a bed of rocks over which the tide flows at high-water. The ravine is formed by steep precipitous rocks which are at least two hundred and fifty feet high; it appeared to extend to a considerable distance, and as the farther progress of the boat was prevented by the stones and want of water, Bundell and two of the boat's crew were despatched to examine a place farther on, where, from the green appearance of the trees, it was thought not unlikely that there might be a fresh stream. In this they were not disappointed, for after much delay and trouble, from the difficulty of passing over the rocks, they returned with two baricas full of fresh water, which they found in holes of considerable size.

In pulling up the river, an alligator was seen crawling slowly over the mud banks, but took to the water before we came near it and did not afterwards reappear. Many kangaroo-rats and small kangaroos were seen skipping about the rocks, but they were very shy, and fled the moment they saw us.

Hanover Bay thus proving to afford good anchorage and an opportunity of increasing our stock of water, as well as presenting a sandy beach on which we could haul the seine, it was determined that we should visit it as soon as the brig could be moved out of Prince Regent's River.

On our return, which was over the same ground as we had passed in the morning, we landed near two or three gullies on the inner side of the island, which forms the eastern boundary of Munster Water, but were unsuccessful in all our searches after fresh water.

August 6.

At daylight on the 6th we got underweigh to a light air of wind from the southward, to leave Prince Regent's River; but notwithstanding the vessel was under all sail she was very nearly thrown upon Lammas Island by the tide, which was setting with great strength through the shoal passage between it and Sight Point: as we passed without it we were not more than five yards from the rocks. The wind then fell to a dead calm and the brig was perfectly immovable in the water; but, drifted by the tide and whirled round by the eddies, we were fast approaching the body of the largest Midway Island, with a very great uncertainty on which side of it the tide would drift us: when we were about three hundred yards from the island the direction of the stream changed and carried us round its south-east side, at about two hundred yards from the shore, but close to the low rocks off its east end, on which we landed two days since. We were under great anxiety for fear of being driven over the reef, on which there could not have been sufficient water to have floated us; but our fears of that danger were soon over for the tide swept us rapidly round it. At this moment a light air sprang up which lasted only five minutes, but it was sufficient to carry us past the junction of the Rothsay and Munster Waters with the main stream. The vessel was at times unmanageable from the violent whirlpools through which we passed, and was more than once whirled completely round upon her keel; but our former experience of a similar event prepared us to expect it, and the yards were as quickly braced round.

Having passed all the dangers, the ebb-tide very soon carried us out of the river into Hanover Bay. In passing the easternmost of the outer isles, the shrill voices of natives were heard calling to us, and Bundell returned their shout, but it was some time before we could discern them on account of the very rugged nature of the island: at last three Indians were observed standing upon the rocks near the summit of the island but, as the tide was running out with great strength, we were soon out of hearing.

Soon after one o'clock the brig was anchored at about half a mile off the sandy beach in Hanover Bay, in eight fathoms (half flood) muddy bottom. The boats were immediately hoisted out and sent up the river, but the tide was ebbing and the difficulty of filling the casks so great that, after great labour, we only procured a puncheon of water. The launch was moored without the rocky bed of the river, while the jolly-boat conveyed the baricas to her as they were filled, but even the latter could not get within three hundred yards of the water, so that the people had to carry the baricas over the rugged bed of the river for that distance, which made the work laborious and slow; still however it was much less distressing than the fatigue of watering from the cascade in Prince Regent's River. At night a successful haul of the seine supplied our people with abundance of fish, among which were mullets weighing from three to five pounds; cavallos, whitings, silver fish, breams, and two species of guard-fish.

August 7.

While our people were employed the next morning in washing the decks, they heard at a distance the voices of natives; at eight o'clock they were again heard and at ten o'clock they were close by; shortly afterwards three, of whom one was a woman, were seen standing on the rocks waving their arms. Being curious to communicate with the inhabitants of this part of the coast, since we had not seen any between this and Vansittart Bay, a party consisting of the surgeon, Mr. Bedwell, Mr. Baskerville, and myself, went on shore to the place where the natives were seated waiting for us. Bundell, who generally accompanied us on these occasions divested of his clothes, stood up in the bow of the boat, and, as we approached the shore, made signs of friendship, which the natives returned, and appeared quite unconcerned at our approach. On landing we climbed the rocks on which the two men were standing, when we found that the woman had walked away: upon our approach they retired a few paces and evidently eyed us in a distrustful manner; but, as they had dropped their spears, and repeated the sign of peace that we had made to them, we did not hesitate to walk towards them unarmed, desiring the boat's crew to be prepared with the muskets, if called. When we joined them they had their spears poised ready to throw, but on our presenting them with some of the fish that we had caught the preceding evening they dropped their spears and immediately returned us something in exchange; one gave a belt, made of opossum fur, to Bundell; and the other, the tallest of the two, gave me a club that he carried in his hand, a short stick about eighteen inches long, pointed at both ends. This exchange of presents appeared to establish a mutual confidence between us, and, to strengthen it, I presented my friend with a clasped knife, after showing him its use, the possession of which appeared to give him great pleasure.

By this time Mr. Montgomery and Mr. Bedwell joined us; the latter gentleman was unarmed, but the former had a pistol concealed under his coat and carried a fish which he held out for them to take; but, as they would not approach us nearer than two or three yards, he threw it towards them, when the shortest native picked it up. Upon this accession to our numbers they began to talk to each other, and at the same time picked up their spears; but as the latter appeared only to be a cautionary movement we did not anticipate their mischievous intentions. I then, with a view to amuse them, made signs to my friend for the knife, which he put into my hands without showing the least reluctance, upon which he was again instructed how to open and shut it; but as this, instead of pacifying, only served to increase their anger, the knife was thrown at his feet, which he instantly picked up, and then both retired a few paces in a very suspicious manner.

We were at this time about three or four yards from the natives, who were talking to each other in a most animated way, and evidently intent upon some object; and, as it appeared probable that, if we remained any longer, a rupture would ensue, it was proposed that our party should retire to the boat, under the idea that they would follow us down; no sooner, however, had we waved to them our farewell, and turned our backs to descend the rocks, than they unexpectedly, and in the most treacherous manner, threw their spears; one of which, striking a rock, broke and fell harmless to the ground, but the other, which was thrown by the tallest man, wounded Mr. Montgomery in the back; the natives then, without waiting to throw their second spears, made off, closely pursued by Bundell, who had armed himself with the broken spear; but they were out of sight in a moment, and, by the time that the muskets were brought to our assistance, were doubtless out of gun-shot. A pursuit was, however, commenced, but our progress was so much impeded by the rugged and rocky nature of the ground and by the abundance and intricate growth of the shrubs and trees that we very soon desisted, and returned to the boat, to which Mr. Montgomery had been in the meantime carried, complaining of great weakness from loss of blood.

WEAPONS ETC. OF THE NATIVES OF HANOVER BAY. 1. Stone Spear Head (Full size.) From a Drawing by F. Chantrey, Esquire, F.R.S. 2. Section of a Stone Spear Head (Full size.) From a Drawing by F. Chantrey, Esquire, F.R.S. 3. Spear armed with the Stone head. 4. Throwing-stick. 5. Hatchet. Published in May 1825 by John Murray, London.

Upon examining Mr. Montgomery's wound, which unfortunately was in such a part of his body that he could not himself inspect it, it appeared that the spear had penetrated about three inches; and, from the quantity of extravasated blood, great fears were entertained that he had received a very serious internal injury. The wound, from which he was suffering very great pain, was dressed according to his instructions, but it was several days before he considered himself out of danger.

August 8.

The next morning at eleven o'clock a native was seen on a float, or catamaran, paddling round the west point of the strait, and another man, a woman, and a child, were observed on the rocks, who, in less than a quarter of an hour, came down to the spot where we met them yesterday, and began to wave and call to us. An opportunity now offered of punishing these wretches for their treacherous conduct, and of disappointing them in their present plans, for they were evidently intent upon some mischief. Mr. Bedwell was therefore despatched to secure their catamaran, which was hauled up on a sandy beach near the outer point, whilst another boat was sent towards the natives: when the latter arrived near the shore, they were sitting on the rock and inviting us to land; but it was necessary to convince them that we were not so defenceless as they imagined, and, as soon as we were sufficiently near, several muskets were fired over their heads: one of them fell down behind a rock, but the other made off. The native who had fallen was wounded in the shoulder, and was recognised to be the man that speared Mr. Montgomery; he made several attempts to get away, but every time his head appeared above the rock which concealed him from us, a pistol or a musket was fired to prevent his escape; at last, however, he sprang up, and, leaping upon the rock with a violent effort, was instantaneously out of sight.

As soon as he was gone we pulled round to the sandy bay where the natives had landed and overtook Mr. Bedwell, who was passing by the place. Upon the beach we found two catamarans, or floats, on each of which a large bundle of spears was tied with ligatures of bark; and on searching about the grass we soon found and secured all their riches, consisting of water-baskets, tomahawks, spears, throwing-sticks, fire-sticks, fishing-lines, and thirty-six spears; some of the latter were of large size, and very roughly made, and one was headed with a piece of stone curiously pointed and worked. This last spear is propelled by a throwing-stick, which was also found lying by it. After launching the catamarans and securing everything found upon them, they were towed round by the boats to where we had fired upon the natives, whilst a party walked over land to examine the place. On the way several spears were discovered placed ready for use on their retreat to the beach, where, from the quantity collected, they evidently intended to make a stand; supposing no doubt from our appearance yesterday that we were defenceless, and would therefore fall an easy prey. On reaching the rock, behind which the native fell, it was found covered with blood; and Bundell, who probably did the deed, said the wound was on his shoulder. We traced their retreat by the blood for half a mile to the border of a mangrove inlet, which they had evidently crossed, for the marks of their feet were perceived imprinted in the mud. We then gave up the pursuit, and went on board.

Upon examining the baskets, among other things a piece of iron hoop was found fixed in a wooden handle, which it seemed they had used for the purpose of digging up roots. This hoop must have been left by us last year at Careening Bay. But what chiefly attracted our attention was a small bundle of bark, tied up with more than usual care; upon opening it we found it contained several spear-heads, most ingeniously and curiously made of stone; they were about six inches in length, and were terminated by a very sharp point; both edges were serrated in a most surprising way; the serratures were evidently made by a sharp stroke with some instrument, but it was effected without leaving the least mark of the blow: the stone was covered with red pigment, and appeared to be a flinty slate. These spear-heads were ready for fixing, and the careful manner in which they were preserved plainly showed their value, for each was separated by strips of bark, and the sharp edges protected by a covering of fur. A wound with such a spear must be mortal; and it was very fortunate for Mr. Montgomery that his was not inflicted with one of these truly formidable weapons. Their hatchets were also made of the same stone, the edges of which are ground so sharp that a few blows serve to chop off the branch of a tree.

The catamarans consisted of five mangrove stems lashed together to a frame of smaller wood, as in Woodcut 2: they are bouyant enough to carry two natives, besides their spears and baskets. A representation of this mode of conveyance is also given in

WOODCUT 2: RAFT OF THE NATIVES OF HANOVER BAY.

These natives were more robust-looking men than any we had before seen; the tallest must have been at least six feet two inches high; their bodies were scarred all over; their teeth perfect, and they were quite naked. The shorter native had his hair collected into a knob at the top of his head, which gave him a ferocious appearance. The punishment they so justly received will make them respect in future the formidable nature of our arms.

At night we hauled the seine, and procured about four dozen fish, principally mullet. An armed party was stationed above the beach to prevent any attack from the natives, but they did not show themselves.

August 9.

On the following day we again heard them shouting and hallooing but it was some time before we could observe their situation; at last five were discovered by the aid of a telescope, seated on the summit of a hill behind the beach, occupied in making spears; at a little distance were two others, one of whom was distinguished to be the native that had escaped unwounded; the other, a stranger, was chopping a branch off a tree, which he was seen to trim and scrape into a rough spear. During the time they were thus employed, they frequently hallooed to us; no notice was however taken of their cries, although the temptation was very great of firing a shot over their heads to show them that they were still within our reach. As soon as they had finished their work and had made about a dozen spears, they all got up and walked away.

After they disappeared behind the hill it was thought not unlikely that they would attack our people at the watering-place; the party were therefore sent away in the afternoon well armed, but the natives did not make their appearance, and the boats returned at sunset without having been disturbed. The tide was so trifling and the difficulty of loading the boat so great that only ninety gallons of water were procured; and as we were not likely to make quicker progress unless we waited for the spring-tides, we gave up all idea of completing our water, and made preparations to leave the bay.

August 10.

On the following day (10th) as there was no wind all the morning, I sent for another turn of water but only obtained enough for one day's issue; for the tide did not rise more than four feet. In the meantime I visited the extreme point on the west side of the bay, and examined in my way some openings in the land that, from their appearance, promised to afford water: as it was low tide I could not enter them, for they were blocked up by banks of sand and rocks; but on my return the tide was higher, and I pulled about one mile up the northernmost inlet, where I was again stopped by the shoalness of the water. All these places must afford abundance of fresh water during the rainy season, and perhaps are seldom without; and, as this was a year of unusual drought, it is not improbable that the river in which we watered generally afforded a very considerable stream; if so, from its proximity to the anchorage, the bay is of great importance, and is an excellent place for refreshment: turtle might be procured at the islands in its vicinity, and abundance of very fine fish at the sandy beach: the anchorage is safe in all parts, being protected from the sea by the islands in the offing, which front the bay. There is also abundance of wood that may be cut close to the waterside.

Ships detained during the westerly monsoon, as far to leeward as the meridian of 125 degrees, would find an advantage in putting into Hanover Bay, and remaining there until the wind should veer round: by which they would avoid the necessity of beating to windward, over such dangerous ground as extends between this part to Timor; and, by being to the southward, out of the strength of the westerly winds, at the latter end of February and beginning of March, when southerly and south-east winds prevail on the coast, they might much earlier effect their passage to the westward.

The beach of Hanover Bay is situated in latitude 15 degrees 18 minutes 21 seconds, and 13 minutes 40 seconds West of our observatory at Careening Bay, which makes its longitude 124 degrees 47 minutes 5 seconds East of Greenwich.

August 11.

The next morning (11th) we left Hanover Bay and steered out at the distance of a mile and a half from the western shore. After passing round the western head, we entered a deep opening, and, running into it for some distance between a rocky shore on either side, came into an extensive basin, in the centre of which was a high island which we saw at a distance last year, and then called the Lump, from its shape. As a set of bearings from this island was desirable, the vessel was anchored abreast of it at about a mile and a half from the shore; having landed upon it in time to observe the sun's meridional altitude in the artificial horizon, we ascended its summit and obtained the desired bearings; we also discovered Freycinet's Island on the horizon, bearing North 13 degrees 42 minutes West; this island was distinguished easily by its form, which is that of an inverted basin. A large island lies in the centre of the entrance of the port, by which two channels are formed; the westernmost has several patches of rocks in it, but the eastern one, which we used, appeared to be clear and free from danger, excepting a rocky shelf projecting from the eastern shore for not more than three quarters of a mile. In the afternoon we examined the former, and from a summit at the south-west end of the island in the entrance obtained another set of bearings. Afterwards we sounded its channel, and found a deep passage, but too narrow and intricate to be preferred to the eastern channel.

Whilst one boat was thus employed, Mr. Baskerville went to examine an opening at the bottom of the port, which he reported to be a strait, trending round to the South-West for six miles, beyond which his view was intercepted by the next projecting point. The strait, which he called after Captain R.H. Rogers, R.N., is sprinkled with many islands and dry reefs of great extent.

August 12.

On the 12th I was occupied in laying down the plan of this place, which, on account of the day, was honoured with the name of our most gracious king, Port George the Fourth.

August 13.

The next day we sailed out by the eastern channel, but having to beat against the wind, made no further progress than an anchorage off Point Adieu, which was the last land seen by us in the Mermaid; it is the north end of the land that forms the west side of Port George the Fourth, which was afterwards called Augustus Island: to the westward of the point there appeared to be many islands and much broken land. I sent Mr. Roe to Point Adieu to get some bearings from the summit of the hill, and in the meantime Mr. Baskerville sounded the channel between the point and the islands; which he found to be deep and clear; Mr. Roe's report, however, of the appearance of the inner part among the islands was not so favourable, for it is studded over with numerous extensive reefs, which, being low water, were exposed to view. Mr. Roe saw a tolerably broad separation between two islands to the south-west, but more to the westward the islands were so numerous that very little information as to their shape or number could be obtained.

August 14.

At daylight the following morning we weighed, and with a moderate land-breeze from South-East, steered to the North-West, and passed round the islands. Very far to the northward on the sea horizon we saw a sandbank, surrounded with heavy breakers; and more to the westward was an island, which was at first supposed to be one of the Champagny Isles of Captain Baudin, but which I afterwards satisfied myself was Captain Heywood's Red Island: it is rocky and of small extent and apparently quite barren. We were soon afterwards abreast of a strait leading between some rocky islands to the southward; which, as it appeared to be free from danger, we purposed to steer through. The brig entered it at noon, when it was high-water, and as she advanced and reached the narrow part, the ebb-tide was setting so strong against us that, although we were sailing five knots by the log, we were losing ground; we continued however to persevere for three hours and a half, and had run nearly twenty miles by the log without gaining an inch; the breeze then died away, and not being able to stem the tide, we steered back for anchorage, but it was dark and late before a favourable bottom was found so that we lost all the progress that we had gained since noon.

August 15.

The next morning, after taking angles from the sun's rising amplitude, we got underweigh and stood towards the strait to make another attempt to pass through it. The view that was obtained yesterday evening from the masthead before we put about to look for anchorage, induced us to suppose that many reefs existed in the neighbourhood of its south entrance, for one of very extensive size was observed dry, lying off the south-west end of the island that bounds the west side of the strait. The north end of that island also appeared to be fronted by many shoals, which either embrace Red Island and extend to the northward, or else the channels are narrow and deep. The flowing tide, now in our favour, carried us quickly forward: as we passed on we heard the voices of natives and soon afterwards perceived two standing on a hill; our course was, however, so rapid that we were soon out of sight of them; their fires were seen yesterday but then they did not make their appearance.

The flood-tide, running to the South-West through the strait, meeting the ebb flowing North-East into the deep bay to the South-East, formed many strong ripplings, which to a stranger would have been a frightful vortex to have entered, and although we had lately been accustomed to such appearances, yet we did not encounter them without some fear. After clearing them we sounded on a muddy bottom; upon which, as the weather was so thick and hazy as to conceal the land from our view, we anchored in seventeen fathoms muddy sand, at six miles from the strait.

In the afternoon the weather cleared a little, but it was still too thick for us to be underweigh, so that we remained all the evening, which was profitably spent in bringing up the chart; a little before sunset the weather cleared and afforded a good view of the land, which to the South-East is composed principally of islands, but so numerous that the mainland could not be distinguished beyond them; a point, afterwards called Point Hall, round which the land trended to the southward, bore from the anchorage South 19 degrees East.

The direction of the tides, the flood setting South-South-East, and the ebb North-North-West and North-West, induced me to suppose that the opening to the eastward of the bay we were at anchor in, which was called Camden, in compliment to the noble Marquess, was not only connected with Rogers Strait, but was also the outlet of another considerable river or bay.

At the anchorage the flood did not run at a greater rate than a mile and a half an hour, but it ebbed two miles, and fell thirty-seven feet, which is the greatest rise and fall we had yet found; it is probable, from the intricate nature of the coast, that these high tides are common to all this neighbourhood.

August 16.

At five o'clock on the morning of the 16th after a fine night the wind sprung up from the East-South-East and blew fresh; but misty weather immediately after sunrise enveloped us, and clouded our view. The breeze was too fresh for us to continue at anchor, we therefore got underweigh, and made sail by the wind; but upon standing across the channel and finding that the flood-tide set to the South-West, we bore away, and, passing round Point Hall, steered to the southward towards some low islands that were just visible through the haze, and which, being disposed in a group, were named after Mr. Andrew Montgomery, the surgeon of the Bathurst.

At noon our latitude observed to the South was 15 degrees 44 minutes 16 seconds. The land was visible from the deck as far as South 30 degrees West, but from the masthead at one o'clock it was seen as far as South 50 degrees West, and a long low island, the westernmost of Montgomery Isles, bore from South-West by West to South-West by South. The group besides this contained six other isles, which are all low and rocky and crowned with bushes: as we approached them the water shoaled to ten fathoms rocky ground; which on being reduced to the depth of low water, would not be more than five and perhaps only four fathoms. Between Point Hall and these islands the ground was also rocky, and, as the group appeared to be connected by reefs, we steered off to pass round them; the wind, however, changing to the westward, detained us all the evening near them.

The land to the southward trended deeply in and appeared to be much broken in its character and very uninviting to us who had only one anchor to depend upon. This bight was named, at Mr. Montgomery's request, in compliment to the late Captain Sir George Collier, Bart., K.C.B., R.N. During the greater part of the night the wind was light, and by the bearings of a fire on the land we were making but little drift.

August 17.

At sunrise we were near two low islands, bearing South 12 degrees 22 minutes West, and South 20 degrees West, from which very extensive reefs were seen extending between the bearings of South and South-West by West. They were called Cockells Isles. We passed round their north end over a bottom of hard sand, mixed with shells, stones, and coral; in doing which we found an irregular depth, but as the water did not shoal to less than twelve fathoms our course was not altered. Soon after the sun appeared above the horizon the distant land was again enveloped in mist. At eight o'clock we ventured to steer more southerly, but continued to sound over a rocky bottom until ten o'clock, when the islands bore South-East; we then steered South-West through a muddy channel with the flood tide in our favour, towards some land that, as the mist partially cleared off, became visible as far as South-West 1/2 West; some islands were also seen bearing South-South-East; and at noon, being in latitude 15 degrees 50 minutes 39 seconds, we found ourselves off a bay, the east head of which was formed by several islands. The land at the back appeared to be of tolerable height but its outline was so level, that it did not present any prominent feature sufficiently defined to take a bearing of more than once; its coast appeared to be fronted by several rocky islands and to be very much intersected to the westward; either by straits or considerable openings.

The continued hazy state of the weather prevented our ascertaining the particular feature of the country; it seemed to be rocky and very bare of vegetation; but they were some parts, particularly on one of the islands to the eastward at the entrance of Collier's Bay, where a few good-sized trees were growing over a sandy beach.

The ebb tide after noon was against us, and the wind being light, we were making no progress. As sunset approached, we began to look for anchorage; but the suspicious nature of the bottom and the great depth of the water prevented our being successful until some time after dark; the anchor was at last dropped in twenty-eight fathoms, on a bottom of sandy mud, with the ebb-tide setting to the North-West, at the rate nearly of two knots.

Several whales of that species called by whalers fin-backs were playing about us all day, and during the morning two or three were seen near the vessel lashing the water with their enormous fins and tails, and leaping at intervals out of the sea, which foamed around them for a considerable distance.

After anchoring the wind was variable and light from the western quarter but during the night there was a heavy swell. The flood-tide, which commenced at nine o'clock, when the depth was twenty-eight fathoms, gradually ran stronger until midnight, when its rate was two miles per hour: high-water took place at 3 hours 15 minutes a.m., or at twelve minutes before the moon passed her meridian; the rise being thirty-six feet.

August 18.

We were underweigh before six o'clock the next morning, and after steering by the wind for a short time towards the southward (on which course the tide being against us we were making no progress) bore up with the intention of hauling round the point to leeward for anchorage, whence we might examine the place by the means of our boats, and wait for more favourable weather; but upon reaching within half a mile of the point we found that a shoal communication extended across to a string of islands projecting several miles to sea in a West-North-West direction: in mid channel the sea was breaking, and from the colour of the water it is more than probable that a reef of rocks stretches the whole distance across the strait; but this appearance, from the experience we afterwards had of the navigation of this part, might have been produced by tide ripplings, occasioned by the rapidity of the stream, and by its being contracted in its passage through so narrow a pass; it was however too doubtful and dangerous to attempt without having some resource to fly to in the event of accident.

Being thus disappointed, we were under the necessity of steering round the above-mentioned range of islands, and at nine o'clock were two miles North-East by East from the small island 18, when our latitude by observation was 15 degrees 57 minutes 56 seconds; the depth being thirty-seven fathoms, and the bottom of coral mixed with sand, mud, and shells.

To the westward and in a parallel direction with this line of islands was another range, towards which we steered; at sunset we hauled to the wind for the night, off the northernmost island which afterwards proved to be the Caffarelli Island of Captain Baudin. Between these two ranges of islands we only obtained one cast of the lead which gave us thirty-three fathoms on a coral bottom. Upon referring to the French charts of this part of the coast it appeared that we were in the vicinity of a reef (Brue Reef) under which the French ships had anchored; and, as the night was passed under sail, we were not a little anxious, fearing lest there might be others in its neighbourhood.

August 19.

At daybreak Caffarelli Island bore South-South-East; and shortly afterwards we had the satisfaction of seeing Brue Reef; it appeared to be partly dry but of small extent.

We passed within half a mile of the dry rock that lies a mile and a half from the west end of Caffarelli Island and afterwards endeavoured to steer between the range of islands, of which Caffarelli is the northernmost, and a group of rocky isles, marked 33; but finding we could not succeed from the scanty direction of the wind, then blowing a fresh breeze from South-East, we bore up round the west side of the latter and then steered by the wind towards a group of which the island 40 is the principal. On approaching 40 there appeared to be a channel round its south-end; but afterwards observing the sea breaking in the direction of our course, we tacked off to pass round the west extremity of the group, towards two small low islands, 50 and 51, that were seen in the distance bearing about South 84 degrees West. The tide, having been before in our favour, was now against us, and, setting with great strength, drove us near the rocks that front the islands to the northward of Island 40; the wind was however sufficiently strong to enable us to clear the dangerous situation we found ourselves in, but soon afterwards it fell to a light air and we were carried by the tide rapidly towards the low rocky extremity of the islets, which we were nearly thrown upon, when a breeze suddenly sprung up again from the South-East and enabled us to clear this impending danger. We were now drifting to the South by East through a wide channel, sounding in between fifty and sixty fathoms, rocky bottom. Had the evening been less advanced and the wind favourable, we could have run through, and taken our chance of finding either anchorage or an open sea; and although this would certainly have been hazarding a great risk, yet it was of very little consequence in what part of the archipelago we spent the night, as the spots which we might consider to be the most dangerous might possibly be the least so. We had however no choice; we were perfectly at the mercy of the tide, and had only to await patiently its ebbing to drift us out as it carried us in.

By our calculations high-water should have taken place at a quarter past four o'clock; every minute therefore after that time was passed by us most anxiously. Every now and then we were in the midst of the most violent ripplings and whirlpools, which sometimes whirled the vessel round and round, to the danger of our masts. Five o'clock at last arrived and the tide-eddies ceased, but the stream continued to run until a quarter of an hour afterwards, when at last the brig began to drift out slowly. To add now to the dilemma and the danger we were in a breeze sprung up against us: had it continued calm we should have been drifted back through the deepest part of the channel, over the same ground that the flood had carried us in: we however made sail and beat out, and before dark had made considerable progress; we then lost sight of the land until eleven o'clock when some was seen to the eastward: at half-past eleven we had a dead calm; and, to increase our anxiety, the tide had begun to flow and to drift us towards the land, which was then ascertained to be the group 33, on whose shores the sea was distinctly heard to break. As midnight approached the noise became still more and more plain; but the moon at that time rose and showed that our position was very much more favourable than we had conjectured; for, by bearings of Caffarelli Island and the body of 33 group, I found we were at least two or three miles from the shore of the latter.

August 20.

A few minutes after midnight we were relieved from our fears by the sudden springing up of a fresh breeze from South-West, and in a moment found ourselves comparatively out of danger.

At daylight we were eight miles to the north-east of Caffarelli Island; whence we steered to the South-West by West and South-South-West. Brue Reef was seen as we passed by it. At noon our latitude was 16 degrees 14 minutes 1 second, Cape Leveque bearing South.

From noon until one o'clock we were steering South-South-West, but made no progress, on account of an adverse tide which occasionally formed such strong eddies and ripplings that we were several times obliged to steer off to get without their influence. The land of Cape Leveque is low, and presents a sandy beach lined by a rocky reef, extending off the shore for a mile, on many parts of which the sea was breaking heavily: the land was clothed with a small brush wood, but altogether the coast presented a very unproductive appearance, and reminded us of the triste and arid character of the North-West Cape.

On laying down upon the chart the plan of this part, I found Cape Leveque to be the point which Dampier anchored under when on his buccaneering voyage in the Cygnet in 1688. He says: "We fell in with the land of New Holland in 16 degrees 50 minutes, we ran in close by it, and finding no convenient anchoring, because it lies open to the North-West, we ran along shore to the eastward, steering North-East by East, for so the land lies. We steered thus about two leagues, and then came to a point of land, from whence the land trends east and southerly for ten or twelve leagues; but how, afterwards, I know not. About three leagues to the eastward of this point there is a pretty deep bay with abundance of islands in it, and a very good place to anchor in or to hale ashore. About a league to the eastward of that point we anchored in twenty-nine fathom, good hard sand and clean ground." He then proceeds to say: "This part of it (the coast) that we saw is all low, even land, with sandy banks against the sea, only the points are rocky, and so are some of the islands in the bay."*

(*Footnote. Dampier volume 1 page 462.)

From this description I have little hesitation in settling Cape Leveque to be the point he passed round. In commemoration, therefore, of his visit, the name of Buccaneer's Archipelago was given to the cluster of isles that fronts Cygnet Bay, which was so-called after the name of the ship in which he sailed. The point within Cape Leveque was named Point Swan after the Captain of the ship; and to a remarkable lump in the centre of the Archipelago the name of Dampier's Monument was assigned. During the last four days we have laid down upwards of eighty islands upon the chart, and from the appearance of the land it is not improbable but that there may be as many more behind them.

Had we even recognised the bay above alluded to by Dampier before we passed round Cape Leveque, we could not have anchored in it for the wind was blowing strong from the northward, and a heavy swell was rolling, which would have placed us in rather a dangerous situation, besides its being exposed to easterly winds, which for the last two or three days had blown very strong. During the time we had been among these islands, we had not met with a single spot that we could have anchored upon without the almost certain loss of our anchor; and the weather had been so very thick and hazy that only the land in the vicinity of the vessel's situation could be at all distinguished; and these disadvantages, added to the great strength of the wind and the rapidity of the tides, had materially prevented us from making ourselves better acquainted with the place. It is remarkable that as soon as we passed round the Champagny Isles, hazy weather commenced, and continued without intermission until we were to the westward of Cape Leveque. The French complain of the same thing; and they were so deceived by it that, in their first voyage, they laid down Adele Island as a part of the main, when it is only a sandy island about two or three miles long. No natives were seen on any of the islands but there were many large smokes on the horizon at the back of Cygnet Bay.

We were now beginning to feel the effects of this fatiguing duty. One-fourth of the people who kept watch were ill with bilious or feverish attacks, and we had never been altogether free from sickness since our arrival upon the coast. Mr. Montgomery's wound was, however, happily quite healed, and Mr. Roe had also returned to his duty; but Mr. Cunningham, who had been confined to the vessel since the day we arrived in Careening Bay, was still upon the sick list. Our passage up the east coast, the fatigues of watering and wooding at Prince Regent's River, and our constant harassing employment during the examination of the coast between Hanover Bay and Cape Leveque, had produced their bad effects upon the constitutions of our people. Every means were taken to prevent sickness: preserved meats were issued two days in the week in lieu of salt provisions; and this diet, with the usual proportions of lemon-juice and sugar, proved so good an anti-scorbutic that, with a few trifling exceptions, no case of scurvy occurred. Our dry provisions had suffered much from rats and cockroaches; but this was not the only way these vermin annoyed us, for, on opening a keg of musket ball cartridges, we found, out of 750 rounds, more than half the number quite destroyed, and the remainder so injured as to be quite useless.

August 21.

The following day we made very little progress, from light winds in the morning and a dead calm the whole of the evening. At sunset we anchored at about four miles from the shore, in seventeen fathoms sandy ground.

During the afternoon we were surrounded by an immense number of whales, leaping out of the water and thrashing the sea with their fins; the noise of which, from the calmness and perfect stillness of the air, was as loud as the report of a volley of musketry. Some remorae were also swimming about the vessel the whole day, and a snake about four feet long, of a yellowish brown colour, rose up alongside, but instantly dived upon seeing the vessel.

August 22.

High-water took place the next morning at twenty-six minutes after six o'clock, at which time we got underweigh with a moderate land-breeze from South-South-East, and steered to the southward along the shore. At noon we were in latitude 16 degrees 30 minutes 19 seconds, Cape Borda bearing South 42 1/2 degrees East. Soon after noon the sea-breeze sprung up from the northward and, veering to North-West, carried us to the southward along the coast which is low and sandy. At three o'clock we were abreast of a point which was conjectured to be the land laid down by the French as Emeriau Island; the name has therefore been retained, with the alteration only of Point for Island. To the eastward of Cape Borda the coast falls back and forms a bay, the bottom of which was visible from our masthead and appeared to be composed of sand-downs. From Point Emeriau the coast trends to the south-west, and preserves the same sandy character. At five o'clock Lacepede Islands, which were seen by Captain Baudin, were in sight to the westward; and at sunset we anchored in eight fathoms, at about three leagues within them. These islands are three in number, and appear to be solely inhabited by boobies and other sea-fowl: they are low and sandy and all slightly crowned with a few shrubby bushes; the reef that encompasses them seemed to be of great extent.

August 23.

The next day we were steering along the shore, and passed a sandy projection which was named Cape Baskerville, after one of the midshipman of the Bathurst. To the southward of Cape Baskerville the coast trends in, and forms Carnot Bay; it then takes a southerly direction. It is here that Tasman landed, according to the following extract from Dalrymple's Papua: "In Hollandia Nova, in 17 degrees 12 minutes South (Longitude 121 degrees, or 122 degrees East) Tasman found a naked, black people, with curly hair, malicious and cruel; using for arms, bows and arrows, hazeygaeys and kalawaeys. They once came to the number of fifty, double armed, dividing themselves into two parties, intending to have surprised the Dutch, who had landed twenty-five men; but the firing of guns frightened them so, that they fled. Their proas are made of the bark of trees; their coast is dangerous; there are few vegetables; the people use no houses."

At noon our latitude was 17 degrees 13 minutes 29 seconds. At four o'clock we were abreast of Captain Baudin's Point Coulomb, which M. De Freycinet describes to be the projection at which the Red Cliffs commence. The interior is here higher than to the northward, and gradually rises, at the distance of eight miles from the shore, to wooded hills, and bears a more pleasing and verdant appearance than we have seen for some time past; but the coast still retains the same sandy and uninviting character. During the afternoon we had but a light sea-breeze from the westward; and at sunset the anchor was dropped in thirteen fathoms fine soft sand, at about six miles from the shore. Large flocks of boobies flew over the vessel at sunset, directing their course towards the reefs of Lacepede Islands, and in the direction of the Whale Bank, which, according to the French chart of this part, lies in the offing to the westward. As no island was noticed by us in the position assigned to Captain Baudin's Carnot Island, the bay to the southward of Cape Baskerville has received that name. The smokes of fires have been noticed at intervals of every four or five miles along the shore, from which it may be inferred that this part of the coast is very populous. Captain Dampier saw forty Indians together, on one of the rocky islands to the eastward of Cape Leveque, and, in his quaint style, gives the subjoined interesting account of them:

"The inhabitants of this country are the miserablest people in the world. The Hodmadods of Monomatapa, though a nasty people, yet for wealth are gentlemen to these; who have no houses, and skin garments, sheep, poultry, and fruits of the earth, ostrich eggs, etc., as the Hodmadods have: and setting aside their human shape, they differ but little from brutes. They are tall, straight-bodied, and thin, with small, long limbs. They have great heads, round foreheads, and great brows. Their eye-lids are always half closed, to keep the flies out of their eyes; they being so troublesome here, that no fanning will keep them from coming to one's face; and without the assistance of both hands to keep them off, they will creep into one's nostrils, and mouth too, if the lips are not shut very close; so that from their infancy, being thus annoyed with these insects, they do never open their eyes as other people; and therefore they cannot see far, unless they hold up their heads, as if they were looking at somewhat over them.

"They have great bottle-noses, pretty full lips, and wide mouths. The two fore-teeth of their upper jaw are wanting in all of them, men and women, old and young; whether they draw them out, I know not: neither have they any beards. They are long-visaged, and of a very unpleasant aspect, having no one graceful feature in their faces. Their hair is black, short and curled, like that of the negroes; and not long and lank like the common Indians. The colour of their skins, both of their faces and the rest of their body, is coal-black, like that of the negroes of Guinea.*

(*Footnote. The natives of Hanover Bay, with whom we communicated, were not deprived of their front teeth, and wore their beards long; they also differed from the above description in having their hair long and curly. Dampier may have been deceived in this respect, and from the use that they make of their hair, by twisting it up into a substitute for thread, they had probably cut it off close, which would give them the appearance of having woolly hair like the negro.)

"They have no sort of clothes, but a piece of the rind of a tree tied like a girdle about their waists, and a handful of long grass, or three or four small green boughs full of leaves, thrust under their girdle, to cover their nakedness.

"They have no houses, but lie in the open air without any covering; the earth being their bed, and the heaven their canopy. Whether they cohabit one man to one woman, or promiscuously, I know not; but they do live in companies, twenty or thirty men, women, and children together. Their only food is a small sort of fish, which they get by making weirs of stone across little coves or branches of the sea; every tide bringing in the small fish, the there leaving them for a prey to these people, who constantly attend there to search for them at low water. This small fry I take to be the top of their fishery: they have no instruments to catch great fish, should they come; and such seldom stay to be left behind at low water: nor could we catch any fish with our hooks and lines all the while we lay there. In other places at low water they seek for cockles, mussels, and periwinkles. Of these shell-fish there are fewer still; so that their chief dependence is upon what the sea leaves in their wares; which, be it much or little, they gather up, and march to the places of their abode. There the old people that are not able to stir abroad by reason of their age, and the tender infants, wait their return; and what Providence has bestowed on them, they presently broil on the coals, and eat it in common. Sometimes they get as many fish as makes them a plentiful banquet; and at other times they scarce get every one a taste; but be it little or much that they get, every one has his part, as well the young and tender, the old and feeble, who are not able to go abroad, as the strong and lusty. When they have eaten they lie down till the next low water, and then all that are able march out, be it night or day, rain or shine, 'tis all one; they must attend the weirs, or else they must fast; for the earth affords them no food at all. There is neither herb, root, pulse, nor any sort of grain for them to eat, that we saw; nor any sort of bird or beast that they can catch, having no instruments wherewithal to do so.

"I did not perceive that they did worship anything. These poor creatures have a sort of weapon to defend their weir, or fight with their enemies, if they have any that will interfere with their poor fishery. They did at first endeavour with their weapons to frighten us, who, lying ashore, deterred them from one of their fishing-places. Some of them had wooden swords, others had a sort of lances. The sword is a piece of wood shaped somewhat like a cutlass.* The lance is a long straight pole, sharp at one end, and hardened afterwards by heat. I saw no iron, nor any sort of metal; therefore it is probable they use stone hatchets, as some Indians in America do, described in Chapter 4.

(*Footnote. Probably a boomerang. See volume 1.)

"How they get their fire I know not; but probably as Indians do, out of wood. I have seen the Indians of Bon-Airy do it, and have myself tried the experiment. They take a flat piece of wood that is pretty soft, and make a small dent in one side of it, then they take another hard, round stick, about the bigness of one's little finger, and sharpened at one end like a pencil, they put that sharp end in the hole or dent of the flat soft piece, and then rubbing or twirling the hard piece between the palm of their hands, they drill the soft piece till it smokes, and at last takes fire.

"These people speak somewhat through the throat; but we could not understand one word that they said. We anchored, as I said before, January the 5th, and seeing men walking on the shore, we presently sent a canoe to get some acquaintance with them; for we were in hopes to get some provision among them. But the inhabitants, seeing our boat coming, run away and hid themselves. We searched afterwards three days in hopes to find their houses, but found none; yet we saw many places where they had made fires. At last, being out of hopes to find their habitations, we searched no farther; but left a great many toys ashore, in such places where we thought they would come. In all our search we found no water, but old wells on the sandy bays.

"At last we went over to the islands, and there we found a great many of the natives; I do believe there were forty on one island, men, women, and children. The men on our first coming ashore, threatened us with their lances and swords; but they were frightened by firing one gun, which we fired purposely to scare them. The island was so small that they could not hide themselves; but they were much disordered at our landing, especially the women and children; for we went directly to their camp. The lustiest of the women snatching up their infants ran away howling, and the little children run after squeaking and bawling; but the men stood still. Some of the women, and such people as could not go from us, lay still by a fire, making a doleful noise, as if we had been coming to devour them: but when they saw we did not intend to harm them, they were pretty quiet, and the rest that fled from us at our first coming, returned again. This their place of dwelling was only a fire, with a few boughs before it, set up on the side the winds was of.

"After we had been here a little while, the men began to be familiar, and we clothed some of them, designing to have some service of them for it; for we found some wells of water here, and intended to carry two or three barrels of it aboard. But it being somewhat troublesome to carry to the canoes, we thought to have made these men to have carried it for us, and therefore we gave them some old clothes; to one an old pair of breeches, to another a ragged shirt, to the third a jacket that was scarce worth owning; which yet would have been very acceptable at some places where we had been, and so we thought they might have been with these people. We put them on them, thinking that this finery would have brought them to work heartily for us; and our water being filled in small long barrels, about six gallons in each, which were made purposely to carry water in, we brought these our new servants to the wells, and put a barrel on each of their shoulders for them to carry to the canoe. But all the signs we could make were to no purpose, for they stood like statues, without motion, but grinned like so many monkeys, staring one upon another; for these poor creatures seem not accustomed to carry burdens; and I believe that one of our ship-boys of ten years old would carry as much as one of them. So we were forced to carry our water ourselves, and they very fairly put the clothes off again, and laid them down, as if clothes were only to work in. I did not perceive that they had any great liking to them at first, neither did they seem to admire anything that we had.

"At another time our canoe being among these islands seeking for game, espied a drove of these men swimming from one island to another; for they have no boats, canoes, or bark-logs. They took four of them, and brought them aboard; two of them were middle-aged, the other two were young men about eighteen or twenty years old. To these we gave boiled rice, and with it turtle and manatee boiled. They did greedily devour what we gave them, but took no notice of the ship, or any thing in it, and when they were set on land again, they ran away as fast as they could. At our first coming, before we were acquainted with them, or they with us, a company of them who lived on the main, came just against our ship, and standing on a pretty high bank, threatened us with their swords and lances, by shaking them at us: at last the captain ordered the drum to be beaten, which was done of a sudden with much vigour, purposely to scare the poor creatures. They hearing the noise, ran away as fast as they could drive; and when they ran away in haste, they would cry gurry, gurry, speaking deep in the throat. Those inhabitants also that live on the main would always run away from us; yet we took several of them. For, as I have already observed, they had such bad eyes, that they could not see us till we came close to them. We did always give them victuals, and let them go again, but the islanders, after our first time of being among them, did not stir for us."*

(*Footnote. Dampier volume 1 page 464 et seq.)

At this anchorage we perceived very little rise and fall of tide, and the flood and ebb both set to the northward, this was also the case at our anchorage within the Lacepede Islands. At four o'clock the next morning a strong south-easterly breeze sprang up, and moderated again before we weighed; but no sooner were we under sail than it freshened again, and, at half-past five o'clock, blew so strong as to oblige our double reefing the topsails, which had not been done for many weeks before. At noon the wind fell, and was very calm, at which time our latitude observed was 17 degrees 36 minutes 38 seconds. The highest part of the land bore North 70 1/2 degrees East, south of which a sandy point, supposed to be Captain Baudin's Cape Boileau, bore South 87 degrees East; and a smoke, a little to the northward of the masthead extreme, bearing South 42 degrees East must be upon the land in the neighbourhood of Cape Latreille.

Soon after noon the breeze veered round by South to West-South-West, and enabled us to make some progress; at sunset we again anchored in thirteen fathoms, soft sand, at six miles from a sandy projection of the main, which we afterwards found to be the land called by Captain Baudin, Gantheaume Island; the name has therefore been given to the point, for there was no appearance of its being insulated. It bears a truly desolate appearance, being nothing but ridges of bare white sand, scantily crowned with a few shrubby bushes.

Behind Point Gantheaume the land appeared to be formed by downs of very white sand; and between this point and Cape Boileau is a bay, which at first, from the direction of the flood stream at the anchorage, was conjectured to be an inlet; but as the tide afterwards set to the Northward and North-East, it was concluded to be occasioned by the stream sweeping round the shores of the bay: according to the depth alongside there was a rise of ten feet; after high-water the ebb set between North 1/2 West and North-North-East, at the rate of a quarter to three quarters of a knot.

During the whole day the horizon was occupied by haze, and produced a very remarkable effect upon the land, which was so raised above the horizon by refraction that many distant objects became visible that could not otherwise have been seen. This mirage had been frequently observed by us on various parts of the coast, but never produced so extraordinary an effect as on the present occasion. The coastline appeared to be formed of high chalky cliffs, crowned by a narrow band of woody hillocks; and the land of Cape Villaret was so elevated as to be distinctly seen at the distance of forty miles, whereas two days afterwards, the weather being clear, it was not visible above the horizon for more than five leagues. This state of the atmosphere caused a rapid evaporation during the day, and as the evening approached a very copious dew commenced falling, which by sunset was precipitated like a shower of rain.

The next morning the land was again enveloped in haze, but at seven o'clock it cleared off a little, and the coast was observed to trend round Point Gantheaume to the south-east, but as we had last evening seen it as far to the westward as South-West by South, we steered in the latter direction under the idea of there being no opening to the southward of the point, since the flood-tide flowed from it instead of towards it, as it naturally would have done had there been any inlet of consequence thereabout.

As usual, we had been surrounded by whales, and large flights of boobies; one of the latter lighted upon the deck this afternoon, and was easily taken; it seemed to be the same bird (Pelecanus fiber) that frequents the reefs upon the north and north-eastern coasts. Between sunrise and midday our progress was much retarded by light south-easterly winds. At noon we were in 17 degrees 51 minutes 45 seconds South: after which the sea-breeze set in from South-South-West and South-West, and we steered to the southward. The land was now visible considerably to the southward of Point Gantheaume, but of a very low and sandy character; and as we proceeded it came in sight to the South-South-West. At sunset we anchored about five or six miles to the north of Captain Baudin's Cape Villaret; the extreme, which was in sight a little without it, was doubtless his Cape Latouche-Treville. From Cape Villaret the land trended to the East-North-East, and was seen very nearly to join the shore at the back of Point Gantheaume.

The dew was precipitated as copiously this evening as the last, and the sun set in a very dense bank; but the night was throughout fine. We now began to experience a more considerable set of tide than we had found since rounding Cape Leveque, for the rate was as much as a knot and a half; but as the tides were neaped it only rose nine feet.

At an anchorage near this spot, in the year 1699, Captain Dampier remarks that the tide rose and fell five fathoms, and ran so strong that his nun-buoy would not watch: but the French expedition, at an anchorage a little to the southward, found the flood-tide to set South-South-East and to rise only nine feet, the moon being then three days past her full. All these particulars have been mentioned, since it is from the nature of the tides that Captain Dampier formed his hypothesis of the existence of either a strait or an opening between this and the Rosemary Islands; but from our experience it would appear more probable that these great tides are occasioned by the numerous inlets that intersect the coast between this and Cape Voltaire; a further examination, however, can only prove the real cause.

August 26.

At daylight (26th) we weighed with a light breeze from South-West, but soon afterwards falling calm, and the tide drifting us to the South-East the anchor was again dropped: ten minutes afterwards a land breeze from East-South-East sprung up, to which we again weighed, but no sooner were we under sail than we were enveloped in a thick mist that blew off the land, where it had been collecting for the last two days. At eleven o'clock the fog cleared away to seaward, but the land was screened from our view until noon, when a sea breeze from west gradually dispersed the fog, and the hillocky summit of Cape Latouche-Treville was seen, bearing South 17 degrees West. At half-past twelve two rocky lumps on the land to the westward of Cape Villaret were seen, and very soon afterwards the hill on the cape made its appearance. Between Capes Villaret and Latouche-Treville is a bay formed by very low sandy land, slightly clothed with a stunted vegetation. The wind was now unfavourable for our approaching the land, and after standing off to sea and then towards the shore we anchored in thirteen fathoms coarse sand.

At this anchorage we found a still greater difference in the tides than was experienced the night preceding; the flood set South-East by East and East-South-East; and the ebb from North-North-East round to West-North-West; the rise was sixteen feet and a half, from which it would appear probable that there must be some reason for so great an indraught of water into the bight between Cape Villaret and Point Gantheaume, which I have named Roebuck Bay, after the ship that Captain Dampier commanded when he visited this part of the coast.

As the wind now blew constantly from the South-West, or from some southern direction, and caused our progress to be very slow and tedious; and as the shore for some distance to the southward of Cape Latouche-Treville had been partly seen by the French, I resolved upon leaving the coast. Our water was also nearly expended, and our provisions, generally, were in a very bad state; besides which the want of a second anchor was so much felt that we dared not venture into any difficulty where the appearance of the place invited a particular investigation, on account of the exposed nature of the coast, and the strength of the tides, which were now near the springs: upon every consideration, therefore, it was not deemed prudent to rely any longer upon the good fortune that had hitherto so often attended us in our difficulties.

August 27.

Accordingly after weighing, we steered off by the wind, and directed our course for Mauritius.

1821. September 22.

On the 22nd September at daylight after a passage of twenty-five days we saw Roderigues, five or six leagues to the northward. In the evening a fresh gale sprung up from the southward and we experienced very bad weather: at noon of the 24th by our calculation we were seventy-three miles due East from the north end of Mauritius and, having the day before experienced a westerly current of one mile per hour, we brought to at sunset for the night, from the fear of getting too near the shore.

September 25.

At daylight the following morning, being by the reckoning only thirty-four miles to the eastward of the north end of the island, we bore up for it; but the land, being enveloped in clouds, was not seen until noon; we then found ourselves off the south-east end, instead of the north point; having been set to the southward since yesterday noon at the rate of three quarters of a mile an hour: in consequence of which we determined upon going round the south side, and bore up for that purpose; upon approaching the land we found another current setting us to the north.

September 26.

The next morning at nine o'clock we passed round the Morne Brabant, the south-west point of the island, but it was four o'clock before we reached our anchorage (at a cable's length within the flag beacon at the entrance of Port Louis) in fifteen fathoms mud; we were then visited by the Health Officer, and afterwards by a boat from H.M. Ship Menai, which was at anchor in the port.

September 27.

But as it was too late that evening to enter the brig was not moved until the following morning, when she was warped in and moored head and stern within the harbour.

My wants were immediately made known to Captain Moresby, C.B. (of H.M. Ship Menai) who directed the necessary repairs to be performed by the carpenters of his ship; those articles which could not be supplied from the Menai's stores were advertised for in the Mauritius Gazette, when the most reasonable tenders were accepted.

As many of the carpenters and caulkers of the Menai as could be spared from their other occupations were daily employed upon our repairs; but from her being put into quarantine and other unforeseen delays they were not completed for nearly a month: our sails were repaired by the Menai's sailmakers; and, as all our running rigging was condemned and we had very little spare rope on board, her rope-makers made sufficient for our wants. The greater part of our bread, being found in a damaged state from leaks, was surveyed and condemned.

Captain Flinders' account of Mauritius appears to have been drawn up with much correctness and judgment, and is, even at the present day, so descriptive of the island as to be considered, both by the English and French residents of Port Louis, as the best that has yet been given to the world. Many alterations and considerable improvements have however taken place since his departure, and among the latter the improved system of the culture of the sugar cane, and the introduction of modern machinery into their mills, may be particularly mentioned. These have been effected entirely by the political changes that have, since Captain Flinders' captivity, taken place in the government of the island; and by the example and exertions of the English, who possess very large plantations, and indeed may be considered now as the principal proprietors of the land.

(*Footnote. It afforded me very great pleasure to hear the high terms in which my late friend and predecessor Captain Flinders was spoken of by the inhabitants of this island, and their general regret at his infamous detention. His friend M. Pitot had lately died, but I met many French gentlemen who were acquainted with him. General Decaen, the governor, was so much disliked by the inhabitants that Captain Flinders gained many friends at his expense who would not otherwise have troubled themselves about him; and this circumstance probably went far towards increasing the severity of the treatment he so unjustly received. An anecdote of him was related to me by a resident of Port Louis, which, as it redounds to his honour, I cannot lose the gratification of recording.

When Captain Flinders was at the house of Madame d'Arifat in the district of Plains Wilhelms, in which he was latterly permitted to reside upon his parole, an opportunity of escaping from the island was offered to him by the commander of a ship bound to India: it was urged to him by his friends that, from the tyrannical treatment he had received and the unjustifiable detention he was enduring, no parole to such a man as General Decaen ought to be thought binding or prevent him from regaining his liberty and embracing any opportunity of returning to his friends and country. The escape was well planned, and no chance of discovery likely to happen: the ship sailed from Port Louis, and at night, bringing to on the leeward side of the island abreast of Captain Flinders' residence, sent a boat to the appointed spot which was six miles only from Madame d'Arifat's house; but after waiting until near daylight without the captain making his appearance the boat returned to the vessel, which was obliged to pursue her voyage to prevent suspicion.

It is almost needless to add that Captain Flinders did not think it consistent with his feelings to take advantage of the opportunity, nor to effect his escape from imprisonment by a conduct so disgraceful to the character of a British officer and to the honourable profession to which he belonged.)

For some years past coffee has entirely failed upon the island and cotton is seldom seen growing. The principal attention of the habitans appeared to be given to the cultivation of the sugar cane and maize, both of which had begun to produce an abundant return to the planters; the manihot is also generally cultivated: but the dreadful effects of the hurricanes to which this island is exposed render property of so precarious and doubtful a tenure that nothing is secure until the season for these destructive visitations is over; they last from the beginning of December to the end of April and generally occur about the full of the moon, being invariably preceded by an unsteady motion of the mercury in the barometer. They are not always so violent as to be termed hurricanes: the last experienced before our visit was merely a coup de vent, by which very little damage was sustained.*

(*Footnote. In the month of January, 1824 this unfortunate island was again visited and laid waste by a tremendous hurricane that did very considerable damage, and has in a great measure destroyed the prosperous state which the island was beginning to arrive at from the previous long absence of this dreadful visitation.)

The town of Port Louis which is at the north-west, or leeward, side of the island, is built at the extremity of an amphitheatre of low land, backed in by a high and precipitous range, upon which Peter Botte and the Pouce are conspicuous features. The streets are laid out at rightangles, the principal of which lead from the Chaussee to the Champ de Mars, a plot of grassy land about half a mile square that intervenes between the town and the hills. This is the promenade, the drive, the racecourse, and, in fact, the principal resort for the inhabitants. It is skirted by houses and gardens and is a valuable acquisition to the town. The Chaussee and other streets are well furnished with useful shops of which those of the Tinman, the Druggist, and the Conservateur et Patissier, are the most numerous.

The houses, generally of wood, are irregularly built, and far from being elegant in their appearance; those however that have been lately constructed by our countrymen have already given the place an appearance of solidity that it could not boast of before, and several substantial stone dwellings and stones have lately been erected. The roads for seven or eight miles out of the town, leading to Pamplemousses, to Plains Wilhelms and to Moca districts, are very good and are kept in repair partly by Malabar convicts from India; but travelling beyond that distance is performed in palanquins which four bearers will carry, at a steady pace, at the rate of six miles per hour.

At the time of our visit there were few fruits ripe; but when we were about to sail the mango of delicious flavour began to be common; besides which there were coconuts, guavas, papaws, grapes, the letchy (or let-chis, a Chinese fruit) and some indifferent pineapples. The ship's company were supplied daily with fresh beef and vegetables. The latter were procured in abundance at the bazaar and were exceedingly fine, particularly carrots and cabbages of an unusually large size and fine flavour. Bullocks are imported into the island from Madagascar, in which trade there are two vessels constantly engaged during the fine season.

Horses are very scarce; they are imported from the Cape of Good Hope and fetch a high price: a cargo of a hundred and seventy-seven mules arrived from Buenos Ayres while we were at Port Louis, which, on being sold by auction, averaged each one hundred and eighty dollars. To encourage the importation of these useful animals a premium of five dollars is offered by the government for every mule that is brought alive to the island.

The circulating medium was principally of paper but bore a very great depreciation; the premium upon bills of exchange upon Europe, at the time of our departure, was as much as 66 to 76 per cent, and upon silver coin there was a depreciation of 45 per cent.

On the voyage to this place three charts of the north-west coast were reduced and copied by Mr. Roe and were forwarded to the Admiralty by H.M. Sloop Cygnet, together with a brief account of our voyage from the time that we parted company with the Dick, off Cape Van Diemen.

No observations were taken at this place excepting for ascertaining the rates of the chronometers, and for the variation and dip of the magnetic needle: the former being 12 degrees 31 minutes West, and the latter 51 degrees 42 minutes 1 second. The situation of the observatory has been long since fixed by the Abbe de la Caille in 20 degrees 10 minutes South latitude, and 57 degrees 29 minutes East longitude.

I cannot conclude this very brief account of our visit to Mauritius without expressing my acknowledgments for the civilities and hospitality we received from our countrymen at Port Louis, particularly from His Excellency Sir Robert T. Farquhar, Bart., who so long and ably presided as Governor of the Island; and for the valuable assistance rendered me in our re-equipment by Captain Fairfax Moresby, C.B., of H.M. Ship Menai, for which the expedition I had the honour to command is under more than a common professional obligation.