on Bay.
Amongst other discoveries during our absence was a bed of pearl-oysters
at the head of the bay, from which the crew of the Dolphin had procured
several tons of very fine mother-of-pearl, besides a small number of
pearls varying in size from one to four carats.

18th October.

The party was fully occupied in clearing out the well and packing up
saddles and outfit for shipment. It was also found that deepening the
well had caused the water to become brackish, so much so that we had to
bring water by boat from the spring at which the ship had been filled up;
the horses however still managed to drink the well-water, although it
produced great thirst. I have no doubt but that, had we had time to sink
a fresh well closer to the foot of the hills, we should have obtained
fresh water, as several ravines terminate there in a beautiful grassy
flat, where a large proportion of the rainwater brought down from the
hills sinks into the soil, from whence it gradually drains down and
supplies the wells in the salt strata. I was disappointed to find that
the cotton plants, that had thriven so well on first being sown, had been
burnt in consequence of some of the sailors having thoughtlessly set fire
to the adjoining grass; had they not been killed, by this time they would
probably have been in flower, as their growth was very rapid.

EASTERN PART OF NICKOL BAY.

19th October.

As it was necessary to give the horses a few days' rest previous to
swimming them off to the ship, I started this morning in the life-boat,
accompanied by Captain Dixon and Messrs. Brown, Harding, and Walcott, to
examine the eastern shores of the bay, for the purpose of ascertaining
whether a more suitable spot for a landing place and site for a future
town could be found in that quarter. Leaving the Dolphin at 5.30 a.m., we
ran to the eastward with a light south wind, passing, at six miles, two
small islands in the mouth of the small bay into which the Nickol River
discharges itself. These islands had been visited already by Mr. Walcott,
and I gave them the name of Pemberton and Walcott Islands. Continuing to
run along the shore towards Cape Lambert, the soundings gave from two to
three fathoms, with a good bottom of mud and sand, but the landing was
generally indifferent and rocky until we came to within about nine miles
of the cape, when a deep opening was passed, affording good shelter and
landing for small craft. Two miles further we landed in a