CHAPTER IX. 



GULF OF CARPENTARIA, 



BOAT EXPEDITION — EXPLORE AN OPENING — DISCOVERY OF 

 THE ALBERT — NATIVES — PICTURESQUE SCENERY — HOPE 

 REACH — BIRDS AND FISHES — UPPER BRANCH — BEAUTY 

 OF THE LANDSCAPE — LAND EXCURSION — THE PLAINS OF 

 PROMISE — HALT THE PARTY AND PROCEED ALONE — DE- 

 SCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY — RETURN DOWN THE ALBERT 



MOUTH OF THE RIVER — ARRIVE AT VAN DIEMEn's 



INLET FIND MR. FITZMAURICE SEVERELY WOUNDED — 



GENERAL RESULTS OF THE SURVEY OF THE GULF — WINDS 

 AND TEMPERATURE— BOOBY ISLAND — ENDEAVOUR STRAIT 

 REACH PORT ESSINGTON. 



Mr. Fitzmaurice reported so favourably of the 

 last opening he discovered, bearing W. by S. fifteen 

 miles from the ship, that I determined on making 

 up a party to explore it, while another expedition, 

 consisting of the yawl and whale boat, was to exa- 

 mine the coast to the eastward from Flinders River 

 to Van Diemen's Inlet. My party, including Lieut. 

 Gore and Messrs. Forsyth and Dring, left the ship 

 with the gig and the other whale boat on the even- 

 ing of the day we returned from the Flinders. 



