MEETING WITH LIEUT. GREY. 213 



his recent visit, with hidden letters declaratory of his 

 proceedings, and promising his speedy return. A 

 party was immediately despatched on shore, and 

 upon the face of the sandstone cliif they painted in 

 characters of gigantic proportion, "Beagle Obser- 

 vatory. Letters S.E. 52 paces." Of necessity com- 

 pelled to wait for the boats, Captain Wickham 

 returned to the Beagle. 



On the morning of the 15th, Lieutenant Grey, ac- 

 companied by two of his party, made his appearance 

 upon the shores of Hanover Bay, after a twelve weeks 

 wander in the interior; during which, great hard- 

 ships, fatigue, and peril had been undergone, and 

 much curious and valuable information collected. 

 Hearing of the proximity of the Beagle, he lost not 

 a moment, but hastened to assure Captain Wick- 

 ham that the whole party was safe, and spent the 

 evening of the 15th — that previous to my return — 

 among those who sympathized with his sufferings, 

 and heartily welcomed him once more on board. 

 After the first crrcetinfrs had been exchanged between 

 us, Lieut. Grey professed the utmost anxiety to 

 hear whether, during our late excursion in the boats, 

 we had discovered the mouth of the Glenelg, the 

 river first seen by him on the 2nd of March. I was 

 of course compelled to inform him that we had 

 found no trace of any river, although the coast from 

 Port George the Fourth to the bottom of Collier Bay, 

 an extent of nearly one hundred miles, had been 

 examined, and with the exception I have already 

 noticed, too closely to admit of mistake. 



