Page:Journals of Several Expeditions Made in Western Australia.djvu/105

 of a mile from the beach. I then continued along the coast, looking out most eagerly for harbour, inlet, or estuary; and always keeping as close as uneven soundings, breakers, and shallow water permitted, with any degree of prudence. I had built no small hopes on that part of the coast not seen by Captain King, but mentioned as laid down from Dutch charts; and it was with feelings not a little excited, that I saw along the whole of it this afternoon, and no little disappointment, that this search was as fruitless as the preceding. It blew very hard from the S.S.W., and I had prepared every thing to reduce the cutter's sails as much as possible, previous to hauling off for the night, when I remarked a little shelter for her under a small reef, in latitude 29° 18', and off Sandy Patch of the chart; here the vessel rode, at first very heavy, for the night. The 10th was passed searching along the land, as before, but with expectations despairingly diminished. The most commodious harbour, with long river navigation inland, could, at this distance, be of comparatively little advantage to the colony. The uniform low sandy coast which I had passed, with a continuation of reefs and breakers off it, made me lose the hope of the probability of improving as I went northerly. I wished much to go as far as Gantheaunee Bay, but my disappointment with Jurieu Bay, gave faint hopes even from it; I did not, therefore, deem the attaining of it a sufficient reason for prolonging the expedition beyond the period of my orders; a prolongation which I calculated must be the consequence of my going so far north. The very strong southerly winds, which had blown with scarcely any intermission, since my departure from Cockburn Sound,