BRECKNOCK HARBOUR. ^07 



great importance, and induced us to consider it a 

 great addition to our discoveries in north-western 

 Australia, Under this impression, I trust the fol- 

 lowing brief description of it may not be without 

 its value in the eyes of some of my readers. 

 Brecknock Harbour is six miles deep, extending 

 gradually from a width of one and three quarter 

 miles at the entrance to five at the head, and has a 

 depth of water varying from five to seven fathoms, 

 with a soft muddy bottom. The few observations 

 on the tides our short visit afforded, make the time 

 of high water, on full and change day, about half- 

 an-hour before noon, when the rise is nearly thirty 

 feet, and the strength of stream in the entrance 

 nearly two knots. 



April 16. — Although very anxious to learn if 

 they had in the ship heard any thing of Lieut. Grey's 

 party, still I did not like to break through my 

 usual rule of indulging in a thorough cleansing of 

 men and boats, before making our appearance on 

 hoard, we therefore did not make an early start. 

 In clearing Roger Strait, we heard the cry of a 

 native, who was seen with the aid of a spy-glass, 

 perched on a distant cliff, watching our movements. 

 1 scarcely believed it possible to have heard his 

 shrill voice so far. We reached the ship, lying 

 in Port George the Fourth, early in the afternoon, 

 and found on board a most welcome addition to our 

 little party, in the person of Lieut. Grey. I met 

 him again, with feelings of the greatest satisfaction ; 



