entrance of a basin or bay, at which the inlet seemed to terminate. This course took us over some strong ripplings of tide, on none of which, however, there was less than 5 fathoms; and so soon as they were passed, 13 fathoms did not reach the bottom. After advancing three miles, we approached a low, green island, lying nearly in mid-channel; and being uncertain which was the deepest side, I took the most direct, which lay to the west. From 8 fathoms, the next cast of the lead was 3½, and immediately the sloop was aground. Fortunately, the bottom was soft, and the strong flood dragged her over the bank without injury. The water deepened again as quick; and when the channel on the east side of Green Island was open, there was no bottom at 13 fathoms.
We could not but remark the contrast between the shores of this inlet, covered with grass and wood down to the water's edge, and the rocky sterile banks observed in sailing up Port Jackson: it spoke favourably for the country, and added to the satisfaction we felt in having made the discovery. There was, however, little time for meditation: the tide drove the sloop rapidly onward to the basin; and the evening coming on, I pushed between some dry rocks and a point on the western side, and anchored in 2 fathoms, on a bottom of sand and mud.
There appeared to be three arms, or rivers, discharging themselves into this extensive basin. That which came from the westward., had its embouchure close to the sloop; and Mr. Bass went off in the boat to look up it. His attention was, however, soon called to another pursuit: a number of black swans were swimming before him, and judging from former experience in Western Port, that several of them were unable to fly, he gave chase with the boat. On his return at dusk, he rejoiced us with the sight of four, and with a promise that we should not be in want of fresh provisions in this port.
Nov. 4. I landed Mr. Bass with two men, to examine the country, and then commenced a survey of the port by an examination of the Western Arm. It is narrow, and has not more in the entrance than 3 fathoms, although, about one mile up, there be 7 near the starbord shore. This arm is not accessible to ships beyond three miles; and even in that distance there is much more shoal than deep water.
The rocks lying at the entrance of the basin are covered at the top of the flood, but at other times are much frequented by shags. After observing the latitude and taking bearings there, I went down to Green Island; and the tide being then out, perceived the shoals in Sea Reach to be so numerous and extensive, that it was surprising how the sloop could have reached thus far without striking upon some of them. In the channel to the east of Green Island I found from 7 to 25 fathoms, and both the sides of it steep to; a rock lies in the middle of the passage, but at twenty yards from it there was 3 fathoms all round. Green Island is covered with long, coarse grass and bushes, with a few small trees intermixed. The large, noisy gulls frequent it for the purpose of breeding, as do the swans, several of whose deserted nests were found with the broken egg-shells in them. These were corroborating proofs, that the natives of this part of Van Diemen's Land have not the means of transporting themselves across the water; for Green Island is scarcely two cables length from the shore.
In returning to the sloop, I took off Mr. Bass and his party, together with a kangaroo weighing between eighty and ninety pounds, which he had shot out of a considerable flock. Our fresh provisions were still further increased by an addition of six swans, caught this evening with the boat.
Nov. 5 was employed in the survey of the Western Arm, and searching, but in vain, for the means of conveniently replenishing our water casks. Next morning we steered across the basin., and sought to anchor under an island which, from its situation at the entrance of the eastern arm, was called Middle Island; but there not being a sufficient depth of water behind it, the course was continued up the eastern arm, in 10 or more fathoms water, for two or three miles; when we anchored upon a five-fathom bank, near a small cove on the northern shore. On landing, a little stream was found descending from the hills into the south-east corner of the cove, and in the middle was a gully with several deep holes in it full of excellent water: this last, though not accessible till half flood, was the most convenient for our purpose.
There were many recent traces of natives on the shore; and after returning to the sloop, we saw, on the opposite side of the arm a man who employed or amused himself by setting fire to the grass in different places. He did not stay to receive us, and we rowed down to Middle Island where a smoke was rising. The natives shunned us there also; for soon after landing, I saw three of them walk up from the shoal which joins Middle Island to the opposite low, sandy point. The party appeared to consist of a man, a woman, and a boy; and the two first had something wrapped round them which resembled cloaks of skins.
The gently-sloping hills of Middle Island afford about forty acres of pasture land, well covered with grass, and thinly wooded. No fresh water was seen, but it might probably be obtained by digging. This island is little frequented by aquatic birds, from the circumstance of its being accessible, at low water, to the inhabitants of the main.
Nov. 7. Mr. Bass and myself landed on the south shore upon our respective pursuits. The sandy point at the back of Middle Island was particularly favourable to the survey; and a base of sixty-six chains measured round it, with the concomitant angles, enabled me to connect the eastern arm with the basin. The sloop had been completed with water in the morning, and was ready to proceed in continuation of the voyage; but the width of the arm, the depth of water in it, and strength of the tides, were too strong indications of a river of extensive course for me to be able to quit it without some further examination.
(Atlas, Pl. VII.)
A rainy gale from the eastward did not allow of moving until Nov. 9th; we then got under way with the flood tide, and beat up the first, or Long Reach, against a south-east wind. Abreast of Point Rapid (see the chart), where the river turned sharp round to the south-west, I went away in the boat to examine the upper end of Long Reach; but the haste required in following after the sloop, which the tide assisted in driving fast upward, allowed me to do it but very cursorily. In Crooked Reach, I stopped at two places, and measured a short base near Glen Bight. The sloop was then lost to view, although the wind had died away; and on reaching Brush Island, it was not easy to know which way she had taken, Round-head Bay having as much the appearance of being a continuation of the river, as had Whirlpool Reach. This reach stretches south-eastward, and its width is much less than in any of the lower parts of the river, being no more than a short quarter of a mile; but, as might be expected, the depth in it, from 10 to 22 fathoms, is greater, and its borders are steep and rocky. At the end of Whirlpool Reach, the banks of the river opened out so considerably that, from our little boat, it appeared like a sea, the land at the further end being scarcely distinguishable. Fortunately, we got sight of the sloop in Anchor Bight before it was dark, and carried with us another black swan.
Nov. l0, being under the necessity of going down to Brush Island, to bring the survey up from thence to the position of the sloop, we did not get under way till near noon. The wind was from the westward, and I went forward in the boat to Egg Island, so named from the number of eggs, mostly of the gull and red bill, which were there found. It is small and stony; but covered with grass, and had not been visited by the natives. My next station was on the opposite side of the river, upon a low sandy point which is lengthened by a dry shoal. These project out from the general line of the southern shore, and contract the river to less than half a mile; whereas its width above and below, is one mile and a half. On the east, or lee side of this point and shoal was a flock of swans, in number not less than from three to five hundred; and their cast quills were so intermixed with the sand, as to form a component part of the beach. This countless number of quills gave me an insight into the cause why so many of the swans, though not young birds, were unable to fly: they moult their wing feathers, probably at stated periods, though not, I should think, every year. This sandy projection was named Swan Point.
On steering southward from thence, I found that the bight in which this great number of birds had assembled, was full of shoals producing the long aquatic grass which forms the principal part, if it be not their sole food. We sailed through the flock, and might have procured
