196 Journal of Travel and Natural History 



fathoms, hard sandy bottom. Mr Guy, Mr Miimis, and myself started next 

 morning in the boats, keeping a good look out on each bank ; and about 9 A.M., 

 came on a party of natives, who seemed rather frightened, and kept concealed 

 in the bush for some time, until at length some came out, and made signs that 

 somebody had gone to the westward far away. We concluded that they re- 

 ferred to Mr M'Kinlay, and not wishing to have them about us whilst taking 

 observations, we pushed on for about a mile, and landed on the opposite bank, 

 at a place where a large mass of rocks rose directly from the bank. I had a 

 good view of the surrounding country, and of the windings of the river as far as 

 we had come, but lost the river about 3 miles higher up, where the country 

 .seemed to rise slightly, and was thickly covered with scrub. The country to 

 the southward appeared low and level, and the plains on each side of the river 

 to have been flooded for several miles inland. The view from north-west round 

 by north to south-east was interrupted by numerous extensive patches of rock, 

 similar to the one I was standing on. To the eastward, as far round as south- 

 east, appeared a high rocky range, nearly bare, and about 10 miles distant, 

 towards which the river seemed to flow ; and on a trae bearing of north, 84° 

 east, appeared a conspicuous column of rock apparently from 20 to 30 miles 

 distant, and 600 or 800 feet high. We thought this was the ' Tor ' at first, but the 

 bearing would not agree with its position, and this pillar had a more slender 

 appearance. We arrived back on board about 4 P.M., and found that the 

 natives had been down abreast the vessel, but that the strong tide had prevented 

 them from swimming off. This party appeared on the opposite bank to those 

 we had seen in the morning. They asked for rice and tobacco, and said 

 M'Kinlay was gone to the westward. 



"We weighed at 10 P.M. on the 27th, and drifted down with the ebb; the 

 boats towing. On the 29th, at 2 a.m., the vessel going then about 6 knots 

 before the wind, we struck on some rocks, and then went fairly aground on 

 an extensive reef, 4 or 5 miles in length north and south. After hauling off, 

 we made sail for Cape llotham, passing to the northward of the reef, and 

 arrived off Escape Cliff at daylight on 1st of August. 



"Mr M'Kinlay and all his party had arrived on the 5th of July from the 

 East Alligator River, where he had been for more than three months, the whole 

 country round being under water. He at last having killed all his horses, made 

 a large punt, covering the frame-work with horses' skins sewed together, in 

 ■which vessel he descended the river and voyaged round to Adam Bay, after 

 burning and throwing into the river the rest of his equipment, to prevent it falling 

 into the hads of the natives, who had surrounded, the party, and made an 

 attempt to steal everything. The exploring party had not been able to pene- 

 trate to any distance, being stopped in every direction by swamps, and we found 

 that most of the stories told by the natives about M 'Kinlay and his party had 

 some foundation, if not strictly true ; and the only case of an utter fabrication 

 was the reported visit to Endyalgoot, evidently got up with a view to getting a 

 visit from the vessel. The natives had all along, too, reported movements as 

 happening about a week back which had really taken place two months or six 

 weeks previously. Frkderick Howard." 



STRAITS OF MAGELLAN. 



Letter from Captain Mayne, commanding Surveying Expedition to 

 Straits oi- Magellan. 



H.M.S. "Nassau," Gregory Bay, 

 December 30, 1867. 



•'At last we have made a move, and yesterday was a most successful tlay in 

 all respects. Wc started for Magdalene Island and had one of the most interest- 

 ing days we have yet had. As we apjiroachcd the islantl we saw the beach 

 covered with sea lions and penguins, while the small bay in which we anchored 



