62 
A VOYAGE TO 
[East Coast. 
isos. attention to be paid to the tides during the night. At eleven o’clock, 
September when the flood had ceased running, the depth was sounded and the 
Saturday n. lead line measured, and the same at half past five in the morning 
when it was low water; the difference was no less than thirty-two 
feet, and it wanted a day of being full moon ; so that the springs 
may reach two or three feet higher. The flood set S. by E., but its 
greatest rate did not exceed one mile and three quarters an hour. 
At daylight the wind was south-east, directly against us. We 
backed and filled, drifting up with the flood between the shoals on 
each side, and having the Lady Nelson and a boat a-head ; but on 
approaching the end of the channel, our passage into the sound was 
blocked up by a bank running across, upon which there was not 
water enough for the ship by a fathom, and we therefore anchored. 
At nine the tide had risen a fathom, and we passed over into the 
open sound ; the depth immediately increasing to 4 and 7 fathoms, 
reduced to low water. So long as the flood continued running we 
worked up the sound; and when it ceased, anchored three miles 
from a shallow opening in the low western shore, the second which 
had been observed. We again proceeded upwards with the even- 
Sunday 12. ing’s tide until dusk ; and at nine next morning passed a fifth open- 
ing, and anchored abreast of the hilly projection on its east side, 
which I have named Upper Head, in 4 fathoms, soft bottom, two- 
thirds of a mile from the shore. This was the first place on the 
main where there was any prospect of being able to land ; for the 
western shore, thus far up, was equally low, and as much over-run 
with mangroves and defended by muddy flats, as the shores of 
Keppel Bay. 
It being my intention to explore the head of Broad Sound with 
the brig and whale boat, a situation where tents could be fixed and 
an easy communication held with the ship during my absence, was 
the object now sought; and I immediately went with a party of the 
gentlemen, to ascertain how far Upper Head was calculated for our 
purpose. We landed at half flood, without difficulty; and on 
