CHAPTER XI. 



PORT ESSINGTON AND THE N. W. COAST. 



APPEARANCE OF SETTLEMENT — EFFECTS OF CLIMATE — NA- 

 TIVE MOTHER TRADE IN TEETH — MACASSAR PROAS — 

 LIEUTENANT VALLACK VISITS THE ALLIGATOR RIVERS — 

 INTERVIEW WITH NATIVES — PROSPECTS OF PORT ESSINGTON 

 LIEUTENANT STEWARt's ROUTE — CLIMATE — REMARKS OF 

 MR. BYNOE — HARBOUR OF REFUGE — SAIL FROM PORT 



ESSINGTON— SAHUL SHOAL ARRIVE AT COEPANG — TI- 



MOREES — SAIL FOR NORTH-WEST COAST — STRONG WINDS 



CAPE BOSSUT EXPLORATION OF NORTH-WEST COAST 



— VIEW OF INTERIOR— BIRDS — SOLITARY ISLAND — VISIT 

 THE SHORE — AMPHINOME SHOALS — BEDOUT ISLAND — 

 BREAKER INLET — EXMOUTH GULF — ARRIVE AT SWAN 

 RIVER. 



The period of our arrival at Port Essington had 

 been looked forward to by all with deep interest, 

 and, 1 may say, some anxiety. Two years had 

 elapsed since our last visit, and various and contra- 

 dictory were the reports in circulation respecting 

 the welfare of the settlement. We were accordingly 

 truly rejoiced to find it in a state of prosperity that 

 will ever reflect the highest credit on the hardy few 

 who have laboured so earnestly for its welfare. It 

 was an emblem of the rapidity with which, in young 

 countries, it is possible to recover from any disaster, 

 that the trees whicli had been uprooted, shattered, 



VOL. II. 2 A 



