SEARCH FOR A WATERING PLACE. 199 



master, who was sent to examine and report upon 

 a watering* place said to have been found a day or 

 two ag*o on South-east Island^ about four miles north 

 from the ship. We found the coast thereabouts 

 fring'ed with mang^roves^ a g'ap in which^ margined 

 by forest trees^ indicated the place which we were in 

 search of. The ebb tide was scarcely beginning* to 

 make^ yet a narrow band of shing*le off the entrance 

 of the creek had barely water enougii upon it to 

 allow the boat to cross. Beyond the bar we g*ot 

 into deep water, and after pulling* up for 300 yards 

 found it only brackish. Our further prog'ress^ how- 

 ever^ was impeded by the narroAving* of the creek^ 

 which besides was blocked up with dead trees and 

 some rocks in its bed a few yards ahead of us. 

 The fresh water being* thus unattainable without 

 much trouble^ and the bar at the entrance adding* 

 to the difficulty of watering* the ship there^ we turned 

 back to search elsewhere. While standing* alono- 

 shore to the eastward, opposite an opening* in the 

 low hills behind the coast we observed another 

 breach in the mang-roves backed by trees of a 

 different description^ and thoug*ht it w^orthy of 

 examination. Tacking* inshore we found a small 

 big*ht^ with shoal water^ on a bank of mud extend- 

 ing* rigiit across^ beyond which the entrance of a 

 creek fring'ed with mang*roves was discovered. Our 

 hopes were still further raised^ when^ ascending* 

 about 200 yards, with a depth of two and three 

 fathoms, the surface water was found to be quite 



