e of it, and
several clusters of small trees. Natives also had been seen, though no
opportunity of approaching them had occurred, as the moment their
restless eyes, or quick ears, detected our approach, they most rapidly
retreated.

(*Footnote. Subsequent experience literally verified this opinion.)

HEAT AND SICKNESS.

January 19.

Two boats were despatched this morning, under Mr. Usborne's command, to
examine the eastern part of what I think may be named very properly
Useless Bay. This would have been my duty, had I not unfortunately been
taken ill in the evening of the preceding day: the symptoms were violent
headache, and a disordered state of the stomach, caused, the surgeon
says, by the oppressive and overpowering heat which we have experienced
for the last few days, and the general effects of which seem more
distressing to the ship's company than is often experienced under a
higher range of the thermometer; the deprivation of all power, or energy,
is one of its most unpleasant consequences. I am inclined to think that
one reason for its great and wearying effect upon most of us--indeed,
more or less, all are suffering from it--is that there is hardly any
variation in temperature during the whole twenty-four hours: it sometimes
does not amount to more than two or three degrees. Captain Wickham and
the surgeon visited an inlet near the ship to-day, which had indeed been
looked into, but not explored before. They proceeded to the south-west
for about three miles, through a very tortuous channel, dry in many parts
at low-water, thickly studded with mangrove bushes, over and through
which the tide made its way at high-water, giving to that part of the
country the appearance of an extensive morass. A slightly elevated
table-topped range of land was seen from time to time, some eight or nine
miles to the south-east, but in its highest elevation did not reach 200
feet. The apparent width of the inlet in no way diminished so far as the
exploring party examined it; and this fact, coupled with the general
character of the country hereabouts, induces me to suppose that the
periodical return of the spring tide, floods the greater part of the
coast between the sea shore and the base of the range I have alluded to.
Vampires of a very large kind were here met with, the furthest south we
had seen them.

MIAGO ON SHORE.

Miago had accompanied this party on shore, though he evidently showed no
great devotion to the deed. Th