4 HOPE INLET. — SIJOAL BAY. 



the Vernon Isles, we had irregular soundings of ten 

 and seven fathoms. The ripplings and discoloured 

 water are a warning that they should be approached 

 with caution on this side. 



The mouth of a considerable inlet came in sight 

 at the head of a bay as we advanced towards it, 

 steering S. by E. This opening began to appear of 

 consequence as we drew near, although the 

 singularly gradual decrease in the soundings, on a 

 sandy bottom materially diminished the proba- 

 bility of its being the mouth of a river. Still, when 

 we anchored as near as we could approach, there 

 remained a hope of its being so. 



September 8. — Early in the morning Mr. Forsyth 

 and myself started to explore the opening. We soon 

 discovered that it was nothing more than a shallow 

 creek at low water. The tide here rising twenty 

 feet, gave it the important appearance it had yester- 

 day evening. A tall clump of naked trees was con- 

 spicuous at the east entrance point, towering above 

 the insipid mangrove shore. We gave it the name 

 of Hope Inlet, to commemorate the feelings it ex- 

 cited on its first discovery. From the south point 

 of Clarence Strait it is distant eleven miles, and the 

 bay in which it lies, from the shallow water at the 

 head of it, was called Shoal Bay. 



The boat being provisioned for four days, we 

 pushed on to explore another opening above fifteen 

 miles to the westward. The sea breeze setting in 

 earlv, we did not reach it till after dark, when we 



