Page:Narrative of a survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia, Volume 1.djvu/317

 COABT8 ,OF AUrRALYA. 25 .point of land, which aerwrds p.roved to be the lslg. eastern head of a deep opening. Aug. �. To the northward of this point was an island, and farther on to seaward a dry sand bank. As 'we' -pprocled the point, we were obliged to haul off, for there was evidently a shoal communication between it and the island, and every appearance Of its being connected with the sand.bank in the offing. The dark colour of the water on the other Side of this' line of communication induced me to stand round the sand bank; when, as was ex- pected, we entered a deep channel leading towards the mot distant parts of the bight, which after- wards turned out to be the mouth of a river. The sand-bank was called Haul-round Islet, and the island Entrance Island. In passing between the iatter and a reef on the western side of the channel about haft or three.quarters of a mile from the shore, we had fourteen fathoms mud; after which it gradually decreased in depth; having reached the mouth of the river we anchored in three fathoms, about four miles within Entrance Island. The remainder of the day, which was far advanced, was spent in making preparations for our examination of the river; at low water the tide had fallen ten feet, and the cutter took the ground; but, as it was on soft mud, it was of lit- tle cons.equenc.

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