clvi INTRODUCTION. [Prior Discoveries. 
miTbass Rapid ( see the chart ) , where the river turned sharp round to the 
1798. south-west, I went away in the boat to examine the upper end of 
Long Reach ; but the haste required in following after the sloop, 
which the tide assisted in driving fast upward, allowed me to do it 
but very cursorily. In Crooked Reach, I stopped at two places, and 
measured a short base near Glen Bight. The sloop was then lost to 
view, although the wind had died away ; and on reaching Brush 
Island, it was not easy to know which way she had taken, Round-head 
Bay having as much the appearance of being a continuation of the 
river, as had Whirlpool Reach. This reach stretches south-eastward, 
and its width is much less than in any of the lower parts of the river, 
being no more than a short quarter of a mile ; but, as might be ex- 
pected, the depth in it, from 10 to 22 fathoms, is greater, and its 
borders are steep and rocky. At the end of Whirlpool Reach, the 
banks of the river opened out so considerably that, from our little 
boat, it appeared like a sea, the land at the further end being scarcely 
distinguishable. Fortunately, we got sight of the sloop in Anchor 
Bight before it was dark, and carried with us another black swan. 
Nov. 10, being under the necessity of going down to Brush Island, 
to bring the survey up from thence to the position of the sloop, we 
did not get under way till near noon. The wind was from the west- 
ward, and I went forward in the boat to Egg Island, so named from 
the number of eggs, mostly of the gull and red bill, which were 
there found. It is small and stony ; but covered with grass, and had 
not been visited by the natives. My next station was on the oppo- 
site side of the river, upon a low sandy point which is length- 
ened by a dry shoal. These project out from the general line of 
the southern shore, and contract the river to less than half a mile ; 
whereas its width above and below, is one mile and a half. On 
the east, or lee side of this point and shoal was a flock of swans, in 
number not less than from three to five hundred ; and their cast quills 
were so intermixed with the sand, as to form a component part of the 
beach. This countless number of quills gave me an insight into the 
