d, we hastened back to the
boats, and stood away to the eastward for the low land seen from the
island, and crossed various narrow sandy ridges, nearly dry at low-water,
and generally trending North and South, showing the direction of the
stream by which they were formed, and at distances of 5, 7, 9, and 12
miles, in an East by South direction from Valentine Island; the soundings
between them averaged from 7 to 9 fathoms. A favouring breeze from the
south helped us halfway across to the point, from whence I hoped and
believed we should hereafter date the first great event of the voyage;
and then dying away, compelled us to take to the oars, with the
thermometer at 110 degrees in the shade.

INDICATIONS OF A RIVER.

As we proceeded, several circumstances concurred to satisfy me that we
were at length really approaching the mouth of a considerable river;
large trees drifted past us with the ebbing tide, while each cast of the
lead proved that we were gradually, though nearing the land, deepening
the water.

POINT TORMENT.

Fortune too seemed now resolved to favour us, the deep channel most
opportunely lying along the eastern shore, which we reached soon after
noon, and landed on the only beach of sand hereabouts left uncovered at
high-water. Here, for better security against the squalls we had
experienced for the last two nights, we hauled up the boats. A name was
soon found for our new territory, upon which we with rueful unanimity
conferred that of Point Torment, from the incessant and vindictive
attacks of swarms of mosquitoes, by whom it had evidently been resolved
to give the newcomers a warm welcome. The greater part of Point Torment
is deeply intersected with deep narrow creeks, and is almost entirely
flooded at high-water: it extends low and swampy for nearly three miles
in breadth, and then rises gradually, the slope being well wooded with
the white Eucalypti. Here also I remarked the gouty-stem tree, figured by
Captain Grey, and described by Captain King, as of the Nat. Ord.
Capparides, and thought to be a Capparis; it also bears a resemblance to
the Adansonia described in Captain Tuckey's Congo. This was but a small
specimen in fruit, of which the following brief description may convey a
tolerably clear idea. In shape it something resembled the coconut, with a
gourd-like outside, of a brown and yellow colour. Its length was five
inches, and diameter three. The shell was exceedingly thin, and when
opened it