Keppel Bay .] TERRA AUSTRALIS. z ' 3 
shoal, the brig was obliged to anchor. I then went on in my boat 
for the nearest of the two islands, passing over the banks and cross- Tuesday 10. 
ing the narrow, deep channels marked in the plan. The two islands 
are mostly very low, and ihe shores so muddy and covered with 
mangroves, that a landing on the northern and highest oi them could 
be effected only at the west end ; but a hillock there enabled me to 
take an useful set of bearings, including Mount Larcom, which is 
visible from all parts of this bay, as it is from Port Curtis. 
In the afternoon I proceeded up the western ai m, having 
from 3 to 8 fathoms close along the northern shore ; and about four 
miles up, where the width was diminished to one mile, found a 
landing place, a rare convenience here, and ascended a hill from 
whence there was a good view. At five or six leagues to the south, 
and extending thence north-westward, was a continuation of the 
same chain of hills which rises near Bustard Bay and passes behind 
Mount Larcom ; but at the back of Keppel Bay it forms a more 
connected ridge, and is rocky, steep, and barren. Within this ridge 
the land is low, and intersected by various streams, some falling 
into the western arm at ten or twelve miles above the entrance, and 
others into the south-west and south arms of the bay. Ihe borders 
of the western arm, and of its upper branches so far as could be 
perceived, were over-run with mangroves ; whence it seemed pro- 
bable the water was salt, and that no landing was practicable, higher 
than this station ; the sun also was near setting when my bearings 
from West-arm Hill were completed ; and I therefore gave up the 
intention of proceeding further, and returned to the northern island 
in the entrance, to pass the night. 
It was high water here at seven in the evening, and the tide 
fell nine and a half feet ; but the morning’s tide rose to six and a half Wednes. n. 
only. In rowing out between the two islands, I had from 8 to 3 
fathoms; but shoal water in crossing from thence to the entrance of 
the south-west arm, where again there was 5 to 8 fathoms. A strong 
wind from the south-eastward did not permit me to go up this 
