therefore our intended attempt to gain
the summit of the neighbouring heights, was necessarily postponed till
this morning.

March 24.

When the first rays of the sun saw us struggling over the huge masses of
rock of which they are composed. The view itself differed but little from
that obtained yesterday, except that the islands are yet more numerous,
the mainland more frequently indented with bays varying from two to five
miles in width, and invariably trending in the same East-South-East
direction. The long and narrow islands which these bays contained
generally subsided to the South-South-West. I was fully occupied in
sketching the surrounding objects from this station, till the tide had
risen sufficient for us to pass the channel. After a late breakfast we
again bore away to the North-East under a double-reefed sail, as the sky
wore a threatening appearance. After clearing the channel we crossed a
bay about two miles wide and four deep, thickly studded with small
islands. At noon being near the north point of it, I landed in order to
secure a latitude, and at the same time a round of angles. Having the
flood tide against us, we had only made five miles in a North by East
direction from last night's bivouac.

NATIVE FIRES.

Here for the first time since leaving the Fitzroy we saw native fires.
One of them was upon an island eight or nine miles from the main, between
which, however, a chain of smaller ones formed links of communication.
These signs of inhabitants gave us hopes of finding some improvement from
the almost utter sterility that had hitherto prevailed among these
scattered islands. We had as yet seen no traces of either canoes or
rafts, and therefore were not a little curious to see what mode of
conveyance the natives of these parts used. We soon again moved onwards
in a north by east direction, across another large bay, which, similar to
the last, contained many islets. It was with great reluctance we pursued
this northerly course, as I hoped ere this to have found an opening
leading to the coast near Collier Bay; but the result of this day's
progress fully satisfied me of the improbability of any such existing.

REMARKABLE HEADLAND.

The north point of this bay forms a most remarkable headland, rising
abruptly from the water to an elevation of 400 feet. Its cliffy face
presented a grey and aged appearance, which together with the strange
column-shaped rocks, scattered over its level summit, gave