ACCOUNT OF THE ENGLISH COLONY [Jakuart, 



Having advanced within the entrance, the harbour began to ex- 

 pand itfelf in a kind of large bafon. Its mores were broken into 

 points and projections, between fome of which the great ftrength of 

 the flood tide led them to expect it would branch off into arms. The 

 land lying immediately upon its borders was low, but not flat-; well 

 wooded ; and thofe points near which the floop paffed were clothed 

 with a very unufual degree of verdure. The fun being down, the 

 veflel was anchored for the night, and the next day they proceeded 

 with their refearches. 



They were employed during fixteen days in the examination of this 

 place ; and the refult of the obfervatlons which were made by Mr, 

 Bafs in different parts of it, and the neighbouring country, are thrown 

 by that gentleman into one general account. 



This harbour, or inlet, which was named, by the Governor, Port 

 Dalrymple, takes its courfe from the S. E. between two chains of 

 rounded mountains, ftretching inland from the fea with analmoft im- 

 perceptible increafe of elevation , and, after gradually approximating 

 each other, feemed to unite, at the diftance of between thirty and 

 forty miles, in a body of rugged mountains more lofty than them- 

 felves. Thefe two chains, in their relative pofitions, formed an acute 

 angle ; being at their greateft diftance afunder, as meafured along the 

 fea-coaft, only fixteen miles. Being preffed for time, they were de- 

 terred from attempting to reach the head of the river ; but it was 

 hardly to be doubted, that its principal fource proceeded from fome 

 part near the point of union of the two chains of mountains. Allow- 

 ing this fuppofition, a great part of its ftream mull: be perfe&ly frefti; 

 for at the place where they ended their examination, which was not 

 more than half of the whole fuppofed diftance or length of the river, it 

 had become half frefh half fait, although its breadth was from half a 

 mile to a mile and a half, and its depth eight or nine fathoms* 



The country which Mr. Bafs had an opportunity of obferving, was 

 a certain portion of that lying within the angle formed by two chains 

 of mountains ', and more efpecially of the parts which lay contigu- 

 ous 



