264 Kennedy's expedition. 



At daylig'lit made preparations for starting*. I 

 took tlie five-oared whaleboat^ and the second officer^ 

 accompanied b}^ Captain Elliott^ went in the small 

 boat; both well armed and manned. At half-past 

 six A.M. we left and ran before a strong- breeze from 

 the S.E.; and stood in for the entrance of Escape 

 River. At half-j)ast seven hauled in round the 

 south head (Point Shadwell) : in crossing- the bar, 

 least water three fathoms, the tide being- about first 

 quarter spring flood. 



After entering- the river perceived a bay, with 

 small sandy beaches, one of which .lackey pointed 

 out as the place where Mr. Kennedy first met the 

 hostile natives j from this place we observed some 

 of them launching- a canoe for the purpose of 

 speaking- us, but as Ave could not afford to lose 

 either the time or the tide I deferred communicating" 

 Avith them until our return. After steerino- west 

 about five or six miles, the river beg-an g-radually 

 to wind to the northward, and afterwards S.S.E. ; 

 the river six or seven miles from the entrance was 

 upAvards of a mile in Avidth ; both banks Avere 

 covered by a dense impenetrable mang-rove SAvamp ; 

 after the river trended to the south Avard aa^c had to 

 lower our sail and pull 5 after pulling- some four or 

 five miles the river l)ecame g-radually narrower. I 

 observed several branches of it ' trending- to the 

 nortliAvard and Avestward j Ave remained on the 

 southernmost branch, the principal one j as we 

 proceeded on the left hand side of the riA er we came 



