166 Progress and prestnt State of Gnograpliical 



other monsters, imagined to be the denizens of "Africa, always 

 offering something new," " whose heads do grow beneath 

 their shoulders." The probability of this record has long been 

 suspected, and from the great currents observed by numerous 

 navigators, which set out from the shores, the existence of rivers 

 of no small magnitude has been supposed. Captain Chapman 

 in some measure verified these suspicions, by discovering 13 

 miles to the north of Augra Ilheos, or Walvisch Bay, in lat. 

 25. 53, a fine river named by him the Somerset, with good water, 

 suflftcient for the supply of shipping, and in lat. 17- 10 ; ano- 

 ther, which he called the Nourse, with a copious discharge, 

 over the bar of Avhich he brought the ship's pinnace laden with 

 water, and drawing four feet. The appearance of natives and 

 wild animals observed by this Expedition at various parts of 

 the coast is proof sufficient of the existence of this necessary 

 fluid. The following positions were either visited or discovered 

 by this survey : — 



Elizabeth Bay, in lat. 2". 



Angra Pequena, in lat. 26. 40, where one of B. Diaz's 

 columns, dated 1486, was found entire. 



Spencer Bay, lat. 25. 47, a spacious inlet, and well sheltered. 



Walvisch Bay, lat 22. 53. 



Somerset-river. ^ 



Nourse-river, in lat. 17- 10. 



Fish Bay, spacious good soundings, deep water ; perfectly 

 safe from all winds and swell. 



Port Alexander, lat. 15. 50, good anchorage, deep water, 

 perfectly safe from winds and sea, at its north cape called Cape 

 Negro, another pillar of Diaz was found. 



Little Fish Bay, long. 15. 8, extensive ; a fine river falls 

 into it. 



Bottomless Pit, long. 13. 15, a remarkable inlet; no sound- 

 ing but at its head, and then in 45 fathoms. 



St. Mary's Bay, lat, 13. 27, M-ell sheltered ; a Portuguese 

 pillar. 



Elephant's Bay, lal. 13. 13, plenty of water. 



Victoria-river, lat. 14. 15, a fine river; fresh water close to 

 the bar ; natives seen, but who did not speak the language of 

 > Beng-uela, although within a trivial distance from that place. 



PART III. — Eastern Interior. 



The progress of discovery, and the manner in which it had 

 been conducted beyond the Colony, along the Eastern Coast, 

 from the discovery of the Cape, up to the year 1808, has al- 

 ready been touched upon in the first part of this notice ; but 

 previous to describing the countries since opened by the enter- 



