ed,
but we were obliged to anchor, and sound the channel, before we succeeded
in entering the inner harbour, which we found to be a spacious sheet of
water, divided into two bays by a projecting cliffy point, which from its
situation was called Middle Head. There we remained at anchor until the
23rd, during which time the shores of the inner harbour were examined,
and visits made to various parts of it.

The shores of the inner harbour are thickly wooded to the beach, which is
fronted by mudflats, that at low water are dry for a considerable
distance.

On the western point of entrance, we found the remains of a wrecked
canoe, and upon further search Mr. Bedwell discovered a spear which was
altogether different from any that we had before seen; it was headed with
a sharp pointed splinter of quartz, about four inches long, and an inch
and a half broad; the shaft was of the mangrove-tree, seven feet eight
inches long, and appeared, from a small hole at the end, to have been
propelled by a throwing-stick; the stone head was fastened on by a
ligature of plaited grass, covered by a mass of gum: it was the most
formidable weapon of the sort we had ever yet seen.

April 22.

At the bottom of the western basin one of our people found the skeleton
of a human body; and the skull and some of the bones were brought on
board, but they were too imperfect to be worth preserving. The traces of
natives were found every where, but they did not show themselves. In one
of our excursions a tree was observed that had been cut down by some
sharp instrument, and we had afterwards reason to believe that the
natives were possessed of iron tools, which they might have obtained from
the Malays. A curious mound, constructed entirely of shells, rudely
heaped together, measuring thirty feet in diameter, and fourteen feet in
height, was also noticed near the beach, and was supposed to be a
burying-place of the Indians.

April 23.

Upon leaving the inner harbour we anchored in Knocker's Bay, on the west
side of the port, which received the name of Essington, a tribute of my
respect for the memory of my lamented friend, the late Vice-Admiral Sir
William Essington, K.C.B.: and in the afternoon we set off to examine an
opening in the mangroves at the bottom of the bay. After pulling through
its various winding channels for about a mile, where it was scarcely
broad enough for the boat to pass, its further investigation was given
up, and we commenced