Page:An account of a voyage to establish a colony at Port Philip in Bass's Strait.djvu/223

( 198 ) falling from the hills, form pools at their base, and are absorbed by the soft sand of the beach. We found these pools covered with teal of a beautiful plumage, and, what was to us of much more importance, of a delicious flavour.

As our track to Western Port had never diverged, more than five miles from the sea, it was determined, on returning, to endeavour to penetrate through the country in a N.W. direction, which we supposed would bring us to Port Philip at about twenty miles distance from the camp. We accordingly set off at daylight of the third day, from our night's station which was about five miles from the entrance of Western Port, and had scarce walked a quarter of a mile when, we came to an immense forest of lofty gum