creeks we had so much
difficulty in crossing. We could not but feel grateful that even the
existence of these monster reptiles in this river was then unknown to us,
as the bare thought of a visit from one of them would have added to the
unpleasantness of our position, while the actual presence of so wholesale
a gastronomer would perhaps have given another and less auspicious name
to Escape Point.

A creek, ten miles from Point Torment, afforded us shelter for the night,
which was again wet and squally.

March 14.

At daybreak the blue vault above was still disfigured by dark inky
blotches of clouds. We reached the ship before breakfast, and found that
Mr. Helpman and Mr. Keys had ascertained that the opening on the
north-east side of Point Torment was a great bay, extending ten miles in
a south-easterly direction, with a width of the same distance: its shores
throughout were fringed with mangroves, through which the tide found its
way, inundating many miles of the interior at high-water.

STOKES'S BAY.

In the north and south corners of the depths of this bay they found an
inlet, each being about three miles deep; narrow, sandy ridges, almost
dry at low-water, trending to the North-West, and separated by channels
from three to four fathoms, occupied the greater portion of this
extensive bay, which Captain Wickham, out of compliment, named after
myself.

Point Torment afforded a very fair field for the exertions of our
collectors in Natural History. Without wishing to bore my readers with
another long mosquito story, I think the following may be interesting.

AN OFFICER ENTANGLED IN MANGROVES.

One of the officers on a shooting excursion lost his way and got
entangled in a mangrove forest, where the ground being a soft mud,
travelling became very laborious, particularly in a temperature of 85
degrees and without water; fatigue hastened by thirst, at length quite
knocked up my shipmate, who threw himself exhausted on the ground. In
vain did he seek for a little rest, for no sooner was he quiet than
swarms of mosquitoes assailed him, and forced him again on his legs;
unwelcome as these tormenting visitors generally are, they were probably
in this case the means of saving my friend's life, as goaded on by their
unceasing attacks, to exertions otherwise out of the question, he
eventually reached assistance, and was brought on board in a most
helpless condition.

The tide here was two hours later than at Foul Poin