n. Recent
and numerous tracks of the kangaroo were observed in all directions. Fish
were abundant, but none were caught. Before returning on board we visited
two other places in the bay to make further search for water, but with no
better success; and we began to despair of finding any upon the coast.

October 5.

We weighed the next day with the sea-breeze, and anchored in the
south-east corner of the bay: in the evening we landed on a projecting
point close to the anchorage and ascended its summit, which was so
thickly covered with climbing plants that it was called Vine Head. From
this station an extensive view was obtained of the bottom of the bay; and
as it was nearly low water the time was favourable for my purpose. Near
the anchorage was a small mangrove opening, the entrance of which was
blocked up by a dry mud bank.

When we landed we found a piece of wood upon the beach with a nail-hole
in it: it had probably been part of a Malay proa; for a fleet of such
visitors, consisting of twenty-six vessels on the trepang fishery, was
seen in this neighbourhood by the French in 1801;* and, according to
their report, annually visit this part of the coast.

(*Footnote. Freycinet Terres Australes page 24.)

This day was spent in examining the shores of the bottom of the bay. We
first pulled up the arm to the eastward of Vine Head which trends in for
one mile, and then examined the bay on its western side, which was found
to be both shoal and rocky. We next rowed inside of Jar Island whose
peaked summit forms a very good mark for the channel between the Middle
and Long Rocks. In pulling towards the west side of the bay, at the back
of Jar Island, a native was perceived running along the rocky shore
towards the point we were steering for; round which, as we passed it
yesterday, there appeared to be a deep cave or inlet. As we pulled along
the shore we were amused in watching how nimbly the Indian leaped from
rock to rock: he was alone and unarmed. At one time we pulled close to
the shore and endeavoured to entice him to approach us, but he stood
looking at us from the summit of a rocky eminence close to the beach,
without attending to our invitations; and, upon our repeating them and
resting on our oars, he retreated towards the smoke of a fire that was
burning behind the mangroves on the south shore at the bottom of the
inlet into which we were pulling; on approaching it we found that the
native had already arrived and