180 LEAVE POINT USBORNE. 



the whole satisfactory. The river Fitz-Roy, although 

 not of the magnitude that we hoped to find, was 

 still an undoubtedly valuable acquisition to our 

 stock of geographical knowledge, and offered a way 

 of access into the interior, of which we had availed 

 ourselves to the extent of 90 miles, and which 

 subsequent explorers might yet further improve : 

 while in many minor yet important matters, much 

 had been done, and much seen, to more than com- 

 pensate for the disappointments and annoyances 

 inseparable from the pursuits of the adventurer. 



March 30. — The morning was unusually stormy, 

 dark clouds rested upon the adjacent high land, 

 while others no less portentous hurried past us on 

 the wings of the tempest. Soon after breakfast, we 

 bade adieu to the wild scenery of Point Usborne, and 

 stood across the Sound, for our old anchorage on the 

 north side of Point Cunningham, distant one and 

 twenty miles. In the mouth of the harbour we 

 passed over a coral knoll, having iive fathoms on it. 

 We did not, however, reach our destination till nearly 

 C, P.M., having been taken some distance up the 

 Sound, by the flood tide. Our soundings in crossing 

 varied from fifteen to twenty fathoms, chiefly over 

 rocky ground. It rained almost all the day, and we 

 had several sudden shifts of wind, from S.E. to N.W. 

 Our first view of the western shore of the Sound 

 was singular; Point Cunningham, and Carlisle 

 Head, appeared like two high square looking islands. 

 We anchored soon after high water, which appeared 



