May 1829. CUTTER SAFE—BLKEAGLE HILLS. 233 
the cutter, and fell asleep: but before daylight I was roused bv 
some one, and to my joy, saw Mr. Stokes standing by me. He 
had just arrived with the cutter, having kept his wind till 
the sea fell; and since that time had been pulling towards this 
spot: with what thankful feelings all hands lay down to sleep 
may be easily supposed. 
“ 21st. This morning I believe no one waked before ten 
o'clock. Drying our clothes, and putting the boats to rights, 
occupied most of the day. Our time was now so short, besides 
having almost expended our provisions, that I gave up the idea 
of crossing the Otway Water, and decided to return nearly the 
way we came, after taking a view from the higher ground. 
«22d. A sharp frost, during the past mght and this day, 
hardened the ground, and with four of my boat’s crew, I 
walked to the Beagle Hills. Our way led through a scattered 
wood, the only one seen on the north side of the channel, and 
in which most of the trees appeared to have been burned. We 
gained the summit of the heights soon after noon, and were 
amply rewarded by an extensive view. 
“Although not more than eight hundred feet above the 
sea, I could discern the Gregory Hills (so plainly as to make 
out their yellowish brown colour); Cape Bartholomew, Nassau 
Island ; Cape Monmouth ; the high peaks over Cape Froward ; 
the range of mountains thence to the Jerome Channel, and from 
the Jerome, westward to all those about Cape Phillip, and 
Cape Parker ; and the whole extent of the Otway and Skyring 
Waters; the latter heing bounded to the N.W. by down-like 
hills, about six or eight hundred feet high. North of the Beagle 
Hills, a range of similar downs extended ; and to the east was 
a succession of lagoons, completely intersecting the flat country 
towards Pecket Harbour. 
“ We left a memorial, cut in lead, at the foot of a post sunk 
in the ground; but the air was so cold, that the men, who 
wished to add their names, were unable to mark them on the 
lead. It was eight o'clock before we regained our bivouac, 
much fatigued by the day’s work. 
* 23d. I went into a wigwam, where there was a woman 
