200 
A VOYAGE TO 
[Norik Coast. 
isos the water side into the country ; and the wood upon it made a gi ea ter 
siarday 22. show of fertility than on any borders of the Gulph of Carpentaria 
we had before seen. 
Sunday 23. We got under way again at daylight ; but the wind coming to 
blow strong from the eastward, with rain, thunder-, and lightning, 
were not able to pass round the south end of Isle Woodall and get 
Tuesday 25 . out of the bay, until the morning of the 25th. Our soundings m 
working out diminished to 2- fathoms, near the opening between 
Bickerton’s Island and Cape Barrow ; and it is probable that no ship 
passage exists there, although I had previously found as much as 
7 fathoms in the southern part of the opening. 
After clearing Blue-mud Bay, we worked to the north-east- 
ward ; and at eight in the evening, anchored under Nicol's Island 
in 5^ fathoms, muddy bottom, one mile from the shore, and two 
and a half from the low eastern point of Isle Woodah : two large 
rocks and much shoal water lie between the islands, and prevented 
Wednes. 26 . me from seeking shelter there. In the morning we stretched 
N. N. E., for the projecting part of the main land before set at 
N. 55° so' E. from the eastern hummock of Morgan’s Island ; and 
to which I have given the name of Cape Shield, in compliment to 
captain W. Shield, a commissioner of the navy. There is a small 
bay on its south-west side, and we anchored there in 4 fathoms, blue 
mud, with the outer points of the bay bearing S. 41° E. and N. 21 0 
W ., each distant one mile. 
On landing with the botanists, I found the beach convenient 
for hauling the seine, and ordered one to be sent from the ship, 
which had tolerable success. The cape is low land, mostly covered 
with wood ; and a sandy hillock, perceived from the mast head 
about one mile behind the beach, being the sole place whence a view 
was likely to be obtained, I went there with a theodolite. No part 
of the main coast to the eastward could be seen from thence beyond 
a low projection distant seven or eight miles, which I named Point 
