Page:Narrative of a survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia, Volume 1.djvu/163

 The-ebb-tide did not serve 'to-carry us on board, and the b0at's crew were.so fatigued, by M,y s. having been pulling all day, that wewere obliged to drop the grapnel within seven miles of the cutter to await the turn of tide, so that it was not until midnight that we-reached the vessel. much exhausted. The next day we lef our anchorage, and took up a station within Field Island, intending, if possible, to go through the passage between Barron and Field Islands. At low water the bnks dried for a considerable. extent, but as there was every' appearance of the. existence of a narrow passage between the islands, ve ran through .the next morning at Mgh water; and, in passing the narrows, had over-falls between three and fifteen fathoms: as soon as we reached. a favourable bottom, .we an- chored in four fathoms, in order to :await the uncovering of the shoals at low water,. so that we might see our way on, and construct the chart 'of this entrance. with more correctness. Field Island is low and thickly-wooded, and is sur- rounded by a rocky shoal which dries at .low water, and extends to a considerable distance off its N.W. end. The smoke of a fire having been seen on the island when we passed, it was pre- sumed to have been at that time. occupied by -natives.

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