DROP DOWN THE RIVER. 103 



was seven hours, being two greater than the ebb. 

 The former ran '50 minutes after high water, and 

 the latter 30 minutes after low water. Before 

 leaving Holdfast Reach, Lieut. Emery observed 

 one or two natives, opposite Water Valley, being 

 the only ones that had been seen from the ship. 

 He endeavoured to obtain an interview, by 

 going up alone towards them, but they drew off 

 when he got near. 



December 1. — We slipped from our last anchor 

 at daylight, and proceeded down the river. After 

 pirouetting through Whirlpool Reach, we got as far 

 down as the flats fronting River Peak, above which 

 we anchored near noon. After having been shut 

 up among rocky ranges for a month, the sight of the 

 sea horizon was a novelty, and the cool, refreshing 

 breeze, as it came sweeping over the unbroken 

 expanse of waters, created in us very pleasing 

 sensations. 



Next morning we beat down the main channel, 

 which was called the Queen's, the deep water vary- 

 ing from five to nine fathoms being on the west side. 

 Some shoal patches of a quarter and two fathoms, 

 lying midway between Observation Island, and the 

 end of the long sand extending off its northern side, 

 prevented our proceeding further. The boats com- 

 pleted the survey of the western side of the channel 

 in the afternoon : the largest creek examined by 

 Mr. Forsyth received his name. 



December 3. — Dropping down the channel with 

 a light air from the westward, and a boat in advance 



