NEW JSOUTH WALES. 36l 



-which he found to be a hard stone, over which 

 was a covering- of sand, mixed with coral and 

 shells. There was a cluster of palms on it, and 

 other small trees ; a few large trees were lying 

 on the shore, thrown clown by the wind or 

 flood, assisted by the weight of the trees them- 

 selves, which the depth of soil was not able to 

 support. Being about half ebb, the shoal was 

 dry, on which, were some thousand curlews 

 and gulls, and some pelicans ; but all too 

 shy to allow of his approach within musquet 

 shot. On one of the trees was stuck the cap of 

 a small whale's scull, and in one of the sockets, 

 of the eyes a bird's nest, apparently of the last, 

 season was discovered. 



This islet must certainly have been visited by 

 natives ; for they found three spears, and near 

 them was hidden a small shield, of the same 

 form and substance as those seen near Pumice- 

 Stone river. The spears were of solid wood, of 

 twelve feet in length, and could not have been 

 used with a throwing stick. One of them was 

 barbed with a small piece of bone. 



The forms of the shores about this harbour, 

 apparently dividing it into two bays, .an upper 

 and lower ; and the shore on the East side of the 

 upper bay being high and bounded by steep 

 cliffs Lieut. Flinders was induced to think a 

 deep channel existed there, as the sheet of water 

 extended six or seven miles square. 



With the intention of accomplishing an Eas* 

 tern passage to this upper bay, lie returned on 

 board from his visit to Curlew islet, and got 



3 A 



