278 PROCEED TO survi:y the main. 



breeze, accompanied by constant heavy rain ; the 

 temperature, before daylight, was 61°.* 



Onr operations were completed by the 19th, but 

 in consequence of strong winds from the S.S.E. we 

 did not leave before the *21st; when, beating out 

 against a fresh breeze, f we stood over towards the 

 main to the south-west of Bentinck Island, but 

 found the water so shallow that we could not ap- 

 proach within eight miles. The boats were again 

 sent, with . Messrs. Fitzmaurice and Pasco, to con- 

 tinue the examination of the shore of the Gulf, 

 towards the head of it, where they were to meet the 

 ship. We made the best of our way thither, after 



* Our observations place Point Inscription in lat. 17o6' 50'' S. 

 and long. 7° 28' 30" East of Port Essington; variation, 4o 35' 

 easterly: the time of high water at the full and change, was 

 8 A. M., when the tide rose 9 feet; the stream changes to the 

 northward two hours before high water. At other times the 

 change takes place about one hour before. The direction of the 

 flood is S. by "W. and that of the ebb North; the strength of the 

 former is from half a knot to one knot an hour, and of the 

 latter, three quarters of a knot to one and a half. Near the 

 full and change days there is no slack water; the northerly stream 

 is then longer by two hours : during the neaps they are more 

 equal, each being of twelve hours duration. 



t The west point of Sweers Island, bearing N. 10" E. and the east 

 point of Bentinck Island, N. 8"* E. mark the limits of each board- 

 The north-west part of Sweers Island just shut in with Point 

 Inscription leads in, and the dry part of the reef off the south- 

 east end of Sweers Island, bearing S. 85° E., clears the reef off the 

 south end of Sweers and Fowler Islands. A white patch of cliff 

 to the northward of Point Inscription, in one v>ith it, leads over 

 the extreme of the shoal off the south east end of Fowler Island. 



