miles and a half,
its waters, which were salt, ended in a small run some 12 feet in
breadth. It was Bowen, the second mate, who at length found the
fresh-water stream originally discovered by Bass, and on the same day he
captured a couple of cygnets one of which was presented to the Governor
at Sydney.

On 27th March, Murray accompanied by Barrallier and Caley set out to
explore the stream. They went up its windings as far as possible passing
no less than 42 short reaches. Its breadth at the entrance was about half
a cable's length and at the farthest part reached by the boat not more
than 18 or 20 feet, the passage being there impeded by trees lying across
it.

While his party were exploring, the commander with Euranabie made
excursions along the shore to the mouth of the harbour. "The beach was
covered with shells, many of them beautiful and some of them entirely new
to me. I observed another creek not so large as the former which I have
described but having its entrance quite filled up...so that the sea could
not enter it...the land in general was above the level of the sea and the
soil was in some places light and black, in others a red clay. We fell in
with a rocky point about which I observed playing in the water a number
of fishes called salmon in New Holland. I expressed a desire to the
native of having some...and no sooner expressed my wish than I missed my
companion from behind me. I halloed...upon which he instantly presented
himself from the wood with a small stick in his hand. Asking for my knife
he presently sharpened one end to a point and then, stripping himself, he
leaped from one point of the rock to another until he met with an
opportunity of striking a fish which he did, the stick penetrating right
through it. I could not but admire the keenness of his sight and his
ability to preserve the steadiness of his position, standing as he did on
the rough edge of a sharp rock, the sea washing above his knees, his eyes
intent on the fish, very difficult to strike from the smallness of its
size, presented to him in a narrow back. Though I pressed him to take the
fish several times he constantly refused it but accepted some tobacco."

Next day Grant went on shore at Churchill's Island with a party to clear
a space for a garden. Some twenty rods were burnt after the larger trees
had been felled. The soil on the island was found to be rich and loose
and easy to dig. On the 29th Murray was sent to ascertain par