FROM THE LAKE TO THE OCEAN. 175 
denly turns south, and, striking this sand-hill, immediately 
enters the sea; and we noticed, in the bight under the 
rising ground, that the natives had lit a chain of small 
fires. This was, most probably, a detached party watch- 
ing our movements, as they could, from where they were 
posted, see our camp. 
At the time we arrived at the end of the channel, the 
tide had turned, and was again setting in. The entrance 
appeared to me to be somewhat less than a quarter of a 
mile in breadth. Under the sand-hill on the off side, the 
water is deep and the current strong. No doubt, at high 
tide, a part of the low beach we had traversed is covered. 
The mouth of the channel is defended by a double line of 
breakers, amidst which, it would be dangerous to venture, 
except in calm and summer weather ; and the line of foam 
is unbroken from one end of Encounter Bay to the other. 
Thus were our fears of the impracticability and inutility of 
the channel of communication between the lake and the 
ocean confirmed. 
I would fain have lingered on my way, to examine, as 
far as circumstances would permit, the beautiful country 
between the lake and the ranges ; and it was with heart- 
felt sorrow that I yielded to necessity. My men were in- 
deed very weak from poverty of diet and from great bodily 
fatigue. Hopkinson, Mulholland, andMacnamee were miser- 
ably reduced. The two former, especially, had exerted 
themselves beyond their strength, and although I am con- 
fident they would have obeyed my orders to the last, 1 did 
