TERRA AUSTRALIS. 
139 
Wellesley’s Islands .] 
them to their own way, we took an opposite direction to examine 
the island. 
This low piece of land is between one and two miles long, and 
from its form received the name of Horse-shoe Island; there is very 
little soil mixed with the sand on its surface, and except the man- 
grove trees upon the shore, it bears nothing larger than bushes. 
We did not find any huts ; but the dried grass spread round two or 
three neighbouring fire places, marked the last residence of the In- 
dians. Near it were lying several large spiral shells, probably the 
vessels in which they had brought water from the main land; for 
none was found on the island, nor was there any appearance that it 
could be procured. Shells and bones of turtle, some of them fresh, 
were plentifully scattered around ; upon the beach also there were 
turtle tracks, and several of these animals were seen in the water 
during the day ; but it was not our fortune to take one of them. 
In returning to the ship in the evening, I steered from Horse- 
shoe, to the south-east end of Allen's Isle, and sounded the channel 
between them ; but had only once so much as 3 fathoms. There 
was consequently no fit passage this way for the ship, and the 
several low islets to the north-east, precluded the expectation of 
finding one any where to the west of Bentinck’s Island ; I therefore 
judged it most advisable to return, and place the ship between Ben- 
tinck’s and Sweers' Islands, until the necessary caulking was finished. 
Natives had been seen on both those islands ; and this gave a hope 
that water might still be found to complete the holds previously to 
encountering the bad weather of the north-west monsoon, which I 
had been expecting to set in every day. 
At daylight next morning the anchor was weighed; and having 
to work against foul winds, the breadth of the ship passage between 
Bentinck’s Island and the southern main, was ascertained and sounded; 
and at dusk in the evening we anchored half a mile from the west 
sandy point of Sweers’ Island, in 5 fathoms, small stones and shells. 
This anchorage between the two islands, though it may not be called 
1802. 
November. 
Saturday 20. 
Sunday 21. 
