we embarked from a cove on the North-East side, where the
boats had been ordered to meet us; between this and one on the opposite
side there was only a narrow neck of low land. It is singular that we
should not have seen any natives, or even traces of them anywhere
excepting at Raft Point, during the whole of this cruise.

THE SLATE ISLES.

Pursuing our northerly course, we reached a small group of islands, named
from their formation, Slate Isles. Finding that all the material required
here for the chart could not be collected this evening, I desired Mr.
Helpman to go on to Brecknock harbour, to sound and examine its southern
shore the next morning, whilst Mr. Fitzmaurice and myself remained to
complete the survey hereabouts.

April 15.

We were on the top of the northern Slate Island early; a small islet with
a reef off its northern extreme, bore north a mile and a half, and a low
sandy isle, West 1/4 North about 15 miles; this was a most unwelcome
discovery, as it lay in the track of vessels approaching Brecknock
Harbour, and which Captain King must have passed very close to in the
night without being aware of it. We were fortunate in being able to
intersect our lines to the extremes of all the islands forming the north
side of Camden Sound from this station, which rendered it one of great
importance. Of the interior we saw even less than from Point Hall, and
the prospect if possible was more cheerless.

Our again meeting rocks of transition origin, led us to infer that the
soil in the neighbourhood was of a better quality, as the decomposition
of rocks of this class furnishes a much more fertile soil than sandstone
of recent formation.

Leaving the Slate Islands, we reached Entrance Isle, in Brecknock
Harbour, in time to secure observations for the rates of the
chronometers, which we found had been performing admirably; they placed
the sandy bay on the east side of Entrance Isle, in longitude 124 degrees
30 minutes East; the latitude as before given, 15 degrees 27 1/4 minutes
South.

FERTILE COUNTRY.

At this place Mr. Helpman rejoined us, having completed the examination
of the south shore of the harbour; from a high hill over it he discovered
some fine country, bearing East-South-East about eight miles. In speaking
of it, he says, "I was invited to the top of this hill by the certainty
of a good view of the interior over the low land forming the
south-eastern shore of the harbour, and most amply was I rep