Page:Journals of Several Expeditions Made in Western Australia.djvu/65

 Rock, there was only one fathom water. These rocks are all coral, with their faces generally undermined, rising from ten to fifteen feet above the water. A reef of coral, bare at low water, extends between them; and to the southward, for several miles, the water continued shallow, even for boats, from abreast No. 5 Rock to point B.; from this point, the southern extreme of coast in view, the head at the entrance of the Murray River bore S. 9° W., No. 5 Rock N. 28° W., western tangent of island (X) N. 5° W.; Point (A) N. 4° E. The shallow water continued for a considerable way past the Point, but beyond it there is water for large ships; and the extensive reef, where we saw the breakers, must shelter this port from the N.W. if not from the W. At half-past ten we were abreast of Murray River, but stood on to endeavour to ascertain the appearance of the coast between it and Cape Bouvard; and also to see if we could safely attempt rounding the Cape, before the breeze, which had been rapidly increasing and blowing on shore, should acquire such force as to endanger the boats. Observing no shelter on this side the Cape, and satisfied, from the appearance of the weather, that provided we could round it, we should not only be obliged to beach the boats through a considerable surf, and to remain for one or more days before the weather would settle to permit us to proceed, we bore up for Murray River, and giving, which is necessary, the rocks off the head with Two bare Patches to the S.W. of the entrance a good berth, we stood across the bar, through small breakers in the deepest part, close to the starboard shore. The bar is like the beach, on both sides formed of sand, and most probably changeable. Afterwards, on the 20th, in going out, I found not less than three feet water, when the tide appeared to be very low; but