entre of the beach, the north head of the cove E.N.E.; and except at the
intermediate five points of the compass, Watta-Mowlee affords shelter for
large boats, with anchorage on a fine sandy bottom.

Between three and four miles to the northward of this cove, we found the
river, or rather port, which was the original place of our destination;
and it having been a pilot named Hacking, from whom the first information
of it had been received, it was named after him: by the natives it is
called _Deeban_.

April 1st, was employed in the examination of the port. It is something
more than one mile wide in the entrance; but soon contracts to half that
space, and becomes shallow. Neither have the three arms, into which it
afterwards branches out, any deep channel into them; although, within the
second branch, there are from 3 to 8 fathoms. Finding there was no part
accessible to a ship, beyond two miles from the entrance, nor any
prospect of increasing our small stock of provisions, _Port Hacking_ was
quitted early in the morning of April 2.

The shores of the port are mostly rocky, particularly on the north side;
but there is no want of grass or wood; and without doubt there are many
culturable spots on the sides of the streams which descend, apparently
from the inland mountains, into the uppermost branch. Two natives came
down to us in a friendly manner, and seemed not to be unacquainted with
Europeans. Their language differed somewhat from the Port Jackson
dialect; but with the assistance of signs, we were able to make ourselves
understood.

After sounding the entrance of Port Hacking in going out, and finding 31/2
fathoms water, we steered N.E. by E for Cape Solander; and the same
evening Tom Thumb was secured alongside the Reliance in Port Jackson.

In this little expedition, I had no other means of ascertaining the
situations of places than by pocket-compass bearings and computed
distances; which was done as follows:

South lat. East lon.
deg. ' deg. '
Cliffy south extreme of Cape Solander, lies in 34 2.5 151 12
From thence to Port Hacking, a low curving
shore, mostly beach, lies S. W. b. W. 6 miles +3.4 -6
------------------
Situation of Port Hacking 34 5.9 151 6
From Port Hacking to Watta-Mowlee; low cliffs,
but rising