364< BAD AS HARBOUR OF REFUGE. 



two, the Orontes Reef lies right off the mouth of the 

 harbour to pick him up. 



To visit the settlement of Victoria, which is six- 

 teen or seventeen miles up the harbour, would 

 generally ensure any passing vessel a total detention 

 of at least two days ; that is to say, she must lose 

 two days from the time she first turned aside from 

 the ordinary track before the trade wind, till she 

 regained that track. To induce a vessel to look in 

 there, then, she must have some specific object of 

 importance. 



The sole remaining advantage of Port Essington 

 is, as a harbour of refuge for wrecked crews ; but 

 even for that purpose it is very inconveniently placed, 

 being 600 miles away from the extreme limits of 

 the sea, where wrecks are most likely to occur, 

 namely, the Coral Sea and the eastern side of Torres 

 Strait. I do not know the reasons which led to 

 the establishment of a military post at Port Essing- 

 ton, but conclude they were political ones, con- 

 nected with our territorial rights. 



On June 1 2, 1 845, we called at Port Essington, 

 for the fourth and last time. We had left Cape 

 York three days before, and although the character 

 of the vegetation at the two places was precisely 

 the same, we were much struck with the difference 

 in its condition. At Cape York the grass and the 

 trees were still as green as in the preceding February, 

 or the middle of the rainy season. At Port Essing- 

 ton, on the contrary, save a few palms and pandanus 



