284 DUCKS, PIGEONS, ETC. 



gig I was able to ascend nearly two miles higher in 

 a S. W. by S. direction. Our position was then 

 nine miles S. W. ^ W. from the mouth in a direct 

 line ; but thrice that distance by the meandering 

 course of the inlet through this vast level. The 

 width had decreased from three hundred yards at 

 the entrance to scarcely one hundred, and the depth 

 from two fathoms to a quarter. The banks were, 

 at intervals fringed with mangroves, the country 

 behind being very open plains, with patches of 

 dwarf gums scattered here and there. The brown 

 whistling wood ducks were in great abundance at 

 the yawl's furthest ; and in three shots 1 bagged 

 twenty. The native companions were also nume- 

 rous, of two kinds, one with black on the back, and 

 the other, which kept more on the plain, of a blue 

 or slate colour. Pigeons, too, were abundant ; and 

 the rare large brown rail was frequently observed at 

 low water, runnino^ along- the edg'e of the mangroves, 

 too wary, however, as before, to be shot. There 

 were few alligators seen ; and the onlv fish caught 

 was the cat-fish, common in the Adelaide and 

 Victoria Rivers. Where the yawl lay the bank was 

 clear, forming cliff's ten feet high, in which no 

 stone or rock was found ; neither had we seen any 

 before. 



In the evening and early part of the night ob- 

 servations were made for our position.* A party 



* Lat. 17M2' 55" S., long. 7" 42' 30" East of Port Essington. 



