26 IRREGULARITY OF THE TIDES. 



trance points, I have already said, are white cliffy 

 projections, and distant from each other three miles. 

 Just outside them lies a long four fathom bank, 

 which, together with a very extensive flat of one, 

 and two fathoms, nearly joining it from the eastern 

 side, and another fronting the north side of the 

 west entrance point, comprise all the dangers on 

 entering this port ; which, although of considerable 

 size, is much occupied by shoal water, particularly 

 on the western side, commencing from abreast of Talc 

 Head. The best anchorage is near Point Emery, 

 The extreme of the latter, and a clump of peaked 

 bushes on the south point of the eastern arm of the 

 harbour, when in one, make a good mark for lead- 

 ing out; passing on the west side of the four fathom 

 bank, where the channel is a mile wide and 10 

 fathoms deep. 



The tide is very irregular in Port Darwin, rising 

 at springs 24 feet, and at neaps sometimes only 

 two ; its rate being from one and a half to three 

 knots. The time of high water at the full and 

 change of moon, was half-past five, which being 

 half an hour earlier than at Clarence Strait, fully 

 bears out the opinion I have before expressed, that 

 the flood tide comes from the westward. 



Having to beat out against the sea breeze, the 

 flood-tide made before we could get round the point 

 on the coast lying midway between Ports Darwin 

 and Patterson, and we were compelled to pass the 

 night in the neighbourhood, a circumstance rendered 

 disagreeable by the recurrence of another midnight 



