TERRA AUSTRALIS. 
Keppel Bay .] 
27 
not before fallen under their observation. A part of the ship’s com- 1802. 
pany was allowed to go on shore abreast of the ship, for no Indians 
had hitherto been seen there; but towards the evening, about twenty 
were observed in company with a party of the sailors. They had 
been met with near Cape Keppel, and at first menaced our people 
with their spears ; but finding them inclined to be friendly, laid aside 
their arms, and accompanied the sailors to the ship in a good-natured 
manner. A master’s mate and a seaman were, however, missing, and 
nothing was heard of them all night. 
At daylight, two guns were fired and an officer was sent up Monday is. 
the small inlet under Sea Hill ; whilst I took a boat round to Cape 
Keppel, in the double view of searching for the absentees and obtain- 
ing a set of bearings from the top of the cape. Ihis station afforded 
me a better view of the Keppel Isles than any former one ; and to the 
northward of them were two high peaks on the main land, nearly as 
far distant as Cape Manifold. 
Amongst the number of bearings taken, tliose most essential 
to the connection of the survey were as under. 
Cape Capricorn, outer hummock, - - S. 79 0 30' E. 
Mount Larcom, - - - S. 6 10 E. 
The ship at anchor, - - - S. 59 50 W. 
Highest peak near Cape Manifold, - N. 25 10 W. 
Keppel Isles, outermost, called first lump, N. o 45 E. 
Hummocky Island, - - N. 54 0 35' to 61 40 E. 
On my return to the ship, the master’s mate and seaman were 
on board. The officer had very incautiously strayed away from his 
party, after natives had been seen ; and at sunset, when he should 
have been at the beach, he and the man he had taken with him were 
entangled in a muddy swamp amongst mangroves, several miles 
distant ; in which uncomfortable situation, and persecuted by clouds 
of musketoes, they passed the night. Next morning they got out of 
the swamp ; but fell in with about twenty-five Indians, who sur- 
rounded and took them to a fire place. A couple of ducks were 
