Page:Narrative of a survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia, Volume 1.djvu/79

 COA'rs OF. AUb"TRA[,IA. ever finding it We then.returned into the gulf ss., to prosecute its examination, but as usual, the Feb.  � wind fell, and the only proress we. made was by the. assistance of the flood-tide, which ran until snnet.; a fresh breeze then sprung up, and the night was passed under sail. At daylight the following morning the cutter was about four miles from the western shore, but the day was. so calm that very little progress was made. The ther- mometer indicated a temperature of 97 �ich, ' from the absence of the sea-breeze, and from our not having an awning to protect us from the sun's rays, was almost insufferable; and although our crew were happily in good health, yet my fears were momentarily ahve lest any should be taken ill. A land-wind at night enabled us to make some progress, and before dark we had reached twenty-five miles into the opening with- out seeing any thing like its termination; the western. side still trended in a southerly direc- tion, losing itself in distance, and bore the ap- pearance of being an island. By the next day we. descried some hills of peaked shape to the southward, which was the only indication we had of the termination of the gulf: to the eastward the islands were very numerous and low; but " to. the S.E. the land was so .continuous as to impress us .with the idea of its being. the conti-

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