RETURN TO SYDNEY. 161 



took US eleven days to make g-ood less than 300 

 miles. The land was in sight during' the greater 

 portion of this time, and we had a good view of the 

 noble mountain-range of Timor, also of Rottee and 

 the Strait of Semao, which last we entered with the 

 intention of passing through, but the wind headed 

 us and we had to pass to the southward of E,ottee. 

 For a few days after leaving Port Essington we 

 experienced very light and variable winds, which 

 gradually settled into south-westerly, with occa- 

 sional gloomy blowing weather and frequent squalls 

 at night. 



At length on January 24th, 1849, a long and 

 monotonous passage of sixty-eight days brought us 

 to Sydney, from which we had been absent for nine 

 months. 



VOL. I. M 



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