entic records can be produced
to prove that this portion of the coast was ever visited by Dutch
navigators at all, I am still more disposed to believe that these lighter
coloured people are Malays, captured from the Trepang fishers, or perhaps
voluntarily associating with the Australian, as we know that the
Australian not unfrequently abandons his country, and his mode of life,
to visit the Indian Archipelago with them.

Before pursuing any further the train of speculation in which my thoughts
naturally enough arranged themselves, owing to this meeting with
Lieutenant Grey, it may be as well to advert to the circumstances under
which he and his party were found by Captain Wickham. It seems that on
moving into Port George the Fourth, the ship's guns were fired in order
to apprize the wanderers, if within hearing, that friends and aid were at
hand. These signals were heard on board the Lynher, and were at once
rightly understood to denote the presence of the Beagle. At that time,
however, the master of the Lynher--the schooner which Lieutenant Grey had
chartered at the Cape, was himself in no small perplexity as to the fate
of those he had transported to this lonely coast; and was now growing
exceedingly anxious at their non-appearance.

The next morning, the 9th, Captain Wickham started in the yawl for
Hanover Bay, in order to prosecute the search at the point where he knew
Lieutenant Grey's depot was to be established, and on rounding the
headland the first welcome object that met his eye was the schooner at
anchor. Captain Wickham learnt from Mr. Browse the master, that the
period for which the schooner was chartered having expired, he was only
waiting the return of the expedition from motives of humanity. The
further care of Lieutenant Grey and his comrades was at once undertaken
by Captain Wickham, by whom it was determined, owing to the shortness of
provisions on board the Beagle, to proceed to Timor on the return of the
boats, in the hope of being able to revictual there, leaving some
conspicuous record of his recent visit, with hidden letters declaratory
of his proceedings, and promising his speedy return. A party was
immediately despatched on shore, and upon the face of the sandstone cliff
they painted in characters of gigantic proportion, Beagle Observatory.
Letters South-East 52 paces. Of necessity compelled to wait for the
boats, Captain Wickham returned to the Beagle.

CAPTAIN WICKHAM'S MEETING WITH LIEUTEN