above mentioned was found by
Mr. Dring, one of our most successful collectors in that department. In
the Appendix are figured some of the new shells discovered during the
voyage.

Leaving Depuch Island, we examined the coast to the eastward as far as
the Turtle Isles, a distance of eighty-five miles, the first twenty-seven
of which trended North 55 degrees East, and the remainder North 67
degrees East curving slightly inwards. As the French had obtained a
distant view of this coast, it did not possess to us the interest of
being a new portion of the continent.

EFFECTS OF MIRAGE.

Still the effect of the treacherous mirage, which has often deluded the
way-worn thirsty traveller with the false appearance of water, raised
many parts of the interior that had not before met the eye of an
European. These presented a very level outline. The interior was, for a
great distance, a vast plain, so low that we could scarcely see it from
the ship's masthead over the sandhills, which did not exceed the height
of 40 feet. Six or seven miles from the Turtle Isles this extensive level
was interrupted by the presence of a group of hills, from 200 to 300 feet
in elevation, apparently of the same character as the heights behind
Depuch Island. As seen through the medium of mirage, they often had a
most curious appearance: high continuous ranges, changing again to lofty
islands, danced in the tremulous air. I should remark that when the land
was subject to this distortion, it was always during the forenoon, and on
those days the winds were invariably light.

APPEARANCE OF THE COAST.

The shore, for nearly fifteen miles from Depuch Island is very low, lined
with mangroves, and intersected by creeks, which at high-water, when the
tide rises sometimes 18 feet, are of some magnitude, and inundate much of
the low land, leaving large portions of it whitened by a salt
incrustation. Beyond, as far as the Turtle Isles, the coast is fronted
with a ridge of sandhills, scantily covered with vegetation (the highest,
as I have already said, rarely exceeding an elevation of 40 feet) forming
a barrier between the sea and the low lands behind, which, from the
masthead, appeared to be thickly covered with small trees, and slightly
raised from three to seven miles from the coast. Several of the natives
showed themselves at a distance, and from the numerous fires, it appeared
to be a well inhabited part of the continent. Still we saw no appearance
of a st