from it.

May 3.

The following day we made some progress to the South-East, and by the
afternoon obtained a glimpse of some land bearing between South 3 degrees
West and South 18 degrees East.

May 4.

And at sunset the next evening the lowland was traced as far to the
southward as South-South-East, upon which several detached hills were
seen which probably may have some connexion with Wellington Range.

May 5.

The next day the cutter was anchored within a mile and a half of the
south point of a considerable opening, which the boats were prepared to
examine.

May 6.

And at daybreak we commenced its exploration, but the greater part of the
tide was expended before we reached the entrance, which is fronted by a
bank of mud on which there was not more than twelve feet water; the
depth, however, increased after we entered the river to four and five
fathoms; and as we proceeded up we found the channel to be seven and
eight fathoms deep. The banks on either side were very low; they were
composed of a soft mud, and so thickly lined with mangroves as to prevent
our landing until we had pulled up for seven or eight miles. At ten
o'clock the flood ceased and the ebb, setting with considerable strength,
prevented our proceeding higher up: here we landed, and after spending
some time in taking bearings and examining the country, we returned to
the cutter, which we reached early in the afternoon.

The banks where we landed were about two hundred yards apart, but were so
low and without a hillock to ascend or a tree to climb to enable us to
obtain a view of the country, that we could form but a very slight
opinion of the place. A sugar-loaf-shaped hill, which was also visible
from the anchorage, bore South 80 degrees East; at the distance of a
league was a rocky hill that bore North 88 1/4 degrees East; and, five or
six leagues off, was a range of hills extending from East by South to
South 27 degrees East. In all other directions the eye wandered over a
dreary, low, and uninterruptedly flat country; which in most parts is
covered with an arundinaceous grass.

The mangrove bushes on the banks of the river, which was quite salt, were
crowded with the nests of an egret, in which the young birds were nearly
fledged. Hawks, wild ducks, pelicans, and pigeons, were also abundant,
and an immense flight of white cockatoos hovered over the mangroves, and
quite disturbed the air with their hideous screamings. A small black
wa