Page:Narrative of a survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia, Volume 1.djvu/150

 t818. we should doubtless have succeeded in finding ,prn . some, particularly in the vicinity of the cliffs. Wood is abundant and convenient for em- barking, but the trees are generally small: the waters are well stocked with fish. As a harbour, Port Essington is equal, if not superior, to any ! ever saw; and from its prox- imity to the Moluccas and New Guinea, and it beingin the direct line of communication between Port Jackson and India, as well as from its commanding situation with respect to the pas- sage through Torres' Strait, it must, at no very distant period, become a .place of great trade, and of very considerable importance 2 Early the following morning we sailed out of Port Essington, and passing round its western head, which was named out of respect to my friend Admiral Vashon, we hauled into a bay where a Malay encampment was observed upon the beach, with several proas at anchor close to it; but, as the place offered us no inducement to delay, we steered round the next head, and hauled into another bay, appkrently about four miles deep and two broad. The coast here ap- peared to take a decided turn to the southward, and, as some land was observed on the western horizon, we rightly concluded that we had reached the entrance of the" Great Bay of Van Diemen,"

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