CHAPTER XIV. 



FIRST VISIT TO PORT ESSINGTON IN AUGUST, 1843 — GENERAL 

 ASPECT OF THE COUNTRY AND SETTLEMENT — GEOLOGICAL 



STRUCTURE, STERILITY, UNHEALTHINESS NATIVE TRIBES 



SECOND VISIT IN SEPTEMBER, 1844 — THIRD VISIT IN 



JANUARY, 1845 — ARRIVAL OF A NEW PARTY — PRAHUS 



COLLECTING TREPANG METHOD OF FISHING FOR, AND 



OF PREPARING TREPANG — CAPABILITIES OF PORT ESSING- 

 TON — TOTALLY UNFIT FOR AGRICULTURAL PURSUITS 



NO ADVANTAGES FOR COMMERCE — INCONVENIENTLY SITU- 

 ATED AS A HARBOUR OF REFUGE FOURTH VISIT IN JUNE, 



1845 — CONTRAST BETWEEN THE VEGETATION OF PORT 

 ESSINGTON AND CAPE YORK — DEATHS AMONG THE NEW 

 PARTY -POLITICAL REASONS FOR RETAINING PORT ESSING- 

 TON. 



August 19, 1843. — At eight o'clock this morning 

 we first made the land about Port Essington. The 

 shore appeared very low, the first thing that came 

 in sight being a level line of trees. We next made 

 out a small round tower, which had been commenced 

 on Point Smith, and entering between this and 

 Vashon Head, we floated gradually up the port 

 with very light winds. The atmosphere felt very 

 hot and close, after the fresh breeze we had been 

 accustomed to in Torres Strait, and on the north- 

 east coast. The sides of the harbour were formed 

 by several low rocky headlands, or small ranges of 



