426 RETURN OF THE BOATS. 



them. The exemption, however, was fully made up 

 by the swarms of flies which infest the Adelaide, and 

 during meal times availed themselves of the oppor- 

 tunity of popping into our mouths. 



There had been a fresh N. E. wind the latter 

 part of the day, which dying away was succeeded by 

 a calm and cloudless night with a heavy dew. The 

 thermometer was down to 77°) and in the day varied 

 from 87 to 92. 



August 6. — We got on board in the forenoon, 

 when the result of our examination was heard with 

 a satisfaction not easily expressed, but which may 

 be readily imagined. We felt that we had dis- 

 covered a river navigable for vessels of four and 

 five hundred tons, for about fifty miles, and into 

 fresh water, a thing hitherto unknown in Australia. 

 We may then with justice congratulate ourselves on 

 the importance of the discovery of the Adelaide. 

 The bay into which it flows, named after Sir Charles 

 Adam, is six miles deep and ten broad at the 

 entrance, where there are 9 fathoms. The shores 

 gradually approach each other, and at the head, 

 where it receives the waters of the Adelaide, the 

 width is only one mile. 



The mouth of the river is fronted with shoals that 

 extend out five miles ; the channel between them is 

 narrow, 3 and 4 fathoms deep, and lies on the 

 western side of the bav. A guide from the mouth 

 of it is the east entrance point of the river, bearing 

 8. 40° E. 



