LEAVE PORT CURTIS FOR THE NORTHWARD. 59 



ment, and rejoin us at Cape Upstart. For the next 

 two days lig'ht northerly winds prevailed^ after 

 which we had the wind fi^om about E.S.E. 



Dec, ^rd, — Percy Isles. The Asp having- made a 

 sig*nal for assistance^ and it being* ascertained that 

 she had lost her ding*ey and bumpkin by a sea which 

 struck her while crossing- a tide-race, it was judg'ed 

 necessary to run for the nearest place where the 

 damag-e could be repaired. We consequently 

 anchored under No. 2 of the Percy Isles, to 

 leeward of its south-west point, in 10 fathoms, mud, 

 between it and the Pine Islets of the chart. 



Here it blew so hard from E.S.E. that a second 

 anchor was let g'o 5 the yards were pointed to the 

 wind, and the top-g^allant masts sent on deck. A 

 party which attempted to land were forced to return, 

 nor was it thoug'ht expedient to repeat the attempt 

 on the followinof dav. We remained at this 

 anchorag'e until the 7 th, and found the g'ale to 

 subside into the south-east trade. 



This is the larg'est of the Percy Isles, being- 

 about twelve or fourteen miles in circumference. In 

 structure, it may be said to consist of a series of hills 

 running- in ridg'es, many of them covered with g'um- 

 tree scrub j and all with long- gTass g-rowing- in tufts, 

 concealing* the loose stones, and rendering- walkino* 

 very laborious. On the western side of the island, 

 about a mile from the anchorag-e, the sea communi- 

 cates, by a narrow entrance, with a larg*e basin 

 partially blocked up w ith mangroves, among- which a 



