Page:Journals of Several Expeditions Made in Western Australia.djvu/145

 in and saw water inland over the breakers, which had the appearanee of an estuary. The weather not looking very settled, and the shore holding out but a poor prospect for beaching the boat, bore up for the island off the Point d'Entrecasteaux, in hopes of finding shelter under it for the night; passed several patches of breakers seaward, and observed the white topped rocks; light breezes, inclinable to calm, with a heavy swell to the southward; lowered the sail and got out the oars; at 4 saw an opening in the land about four miles to the eastward of the island; stood for it; got close in shore, having left some small breakers outside, and observed a sheet of water over the sandy beach, which we afterwards found was perfectly fresh, covered with swans, ducks, &c., and running with a rocky shore, and filled up with sand and sea weed; there being too heavy a swell on the shore, rounded a small rocky point to the westward, and landed with little surf, and bivonaced on a low sand hill. Flat Island S.W three miles and a half. Point d'Entrecasteaux W. by S ½ S. about seven or eight miles. Heard the natives, and saw their fires about a mile up the river.

April 20th.—At 4 breakfasted, loaded the boat, and waited for daylight to launch her; completed water, and started at half-past 6, with a steady breeze from the eastward, hoping to reach Augusta that evening. Passed many small reeft not laid down, and an island off Point d'Entrecasteaux, which we passed inside of, and a very good channel for small vessels, with a fair wind.

It is my opinion there is good anchorage for coasting vessels under Flat Island; indeed I should not have any hesitation in running a vessel there for shelter not drawing more than seven or eight