shape to any we had previously seen that I preserved a sketch of it. All
the party wore their hair tied up behind, and each had suffered the loss
of one of the front teeth in the upper jaw: and some had endured an
extraordinary mutilation; apparently in exaggeration of an ancient Jewish
rite. In general appearance they resembled the natives previously seen at
Point Swan.

OUR PARTING LEGACY.

They appeared to luxuriate in the water we had found, wondered at the
size of our well, and expressed the greatest admiration of our skill in
thus procuring this needful article; and I do not doubt but that long
after every other recollection of our visit shall have passed away, this
beneficial memorial of it will perpetuate the visit of H.M.S. Beagle, to
this part of the great continent of Australia.

CHAPTER 1.6. POINT CUNNINGHAM TO FITZROY RIVER.

Survey the Coast to Point Cunningham.
Move the Ship.
Mosquitoes.
Southern View of King's Sound.
Singular vitreous Formation.
Move to the south of Point Cunningham.
Captain King's limit.
Termination of Cliffy Range.
Disaster Bay.
An Exploring Party leave in the boats.
The shore.
A freshwater lake.
Valentine Island.
Native Fire and Food.
A heavy squall.
The wild Oat.
Indications of a River.
Point Torment.
Gouty-stem Tree and Fruit.
Limits of its growth.
Another squall.
Water nearly fresh alongside.
The Fitzroy River.
Tide Bore and dangerous position of the Yawl.
Ascent of the Fitzroy.
Appearance of the adjacent land.
Return on foot.
Perilous situation and providential escape.
Survey the western shore.
Return to the Ship.
Sporting, Quail and Emus.
Natives.
Ship moved to Point Torment.

February 21, 1838.

We remained at this sheltered anchorage until the 21st, by which time the
coast, so far as Point Cunningham, had been carefully examined. We found
it everywhere indented with deep bays, in each of which good anchorage
was to be found. The water's edge was in almost every place fringed with
the closely twining mangrove trees, behind which the country gradually
rose to an average level of about 200 feet, being thickly covered with
the various sorts of Eucalypti, for which all the explored portions of
this continent are more or less remarkable.

In the afternoon of the 21st, we moved into a bay North-West of Point
Cunningham, and anchored in 8 fathoms (low-water) about a mile North-West
from that point; having passed over a bank of 5 or 6 fathoms, with 12 on