xtreme North-West point of the mainland, seen from the
ship, we discovered a deep bay, which once reached, would afford safe
anchorage for a fleet. Near its northern point a large stream of water
fell into the sea in glittering cascades; off this a ship may anchor in
twelve fathoms within a quarter of a mile; close to the west is a small
sandy beach. Promising to refresh ourselves at this inviting stream, we
continued our course to the northward. After passing a deep narrow
channel, trending North-West by West we met the first rush of the
northerly, or ebb stream, which, running at the rate of six or seven
knots, swept us through a very small, dangerous opening, between some
rocky islets and the main. A small bay fortunately afforded us the means
of avoiding a treacherous ledge of sunken rocks, which had the boat
touched, at the almost giddy rapidity we were hurried along, our
destruction must have been inevitable. Landing to cook our dinners, I
went to the top of the highest neighbouring hill, to obtain a round of
angles: our journey was a perfect scramble, the face of the country being
intersected by deep ravines, and covered with huge blocks of coarse
sandstone; over these we observed several of the rock-kangaroo, bounding
with their long, bushy tails swinging high in the air as if in defiance
of pursuit. The view of the archipelago, from this position, fully
satisfied me, that without incurring great risk, it would be impossible
for a ship to thread her way through the numerous islands, independent of
shoals, tide-races, and shifting winds, which form the ordinary perils of
such navigation. I reckoned more than eighty islands in this portion of
the archipelago alone.

CONE BAY.

After dinner we proceeded, steering North-North-East, and crossed two
deep bays, the first 3 and the second 4 1/2 miles wide, both affording
good anchorage, but utterly useless from the barrier of reefs and islets
extending across their mouths. These bays and the ranges of hills we
passed, trended East-South-East. To the second and deepest we gave the
name of Cone Bay, from a singular hill of that form on its eastern shore.

The eastern entrance of a small tortuous channel afforded us a resting
place for the night, having made good 17 miles in a North-North-East
direction from the ship. The observations were made for latitude on the
south point, and gave a result of 16 degrees 24 1/2 minutes South. It was
nearly dark when we anchored, and