232 
CAPT. BARKER’S SURVEY. 
Jervis, from which point it was thought he could best carry- 
on a survey not only of the coast but also of the interior. 
This excellent and zealous officer sailed from King 
George’s Sound, on the 10th of April, 1831, and arrived off 
Cape Jervis on the 13th. He was attended by Doctor 
Davies, one of the assistant surgeons of his regiment, and 
by Mr. Kent, of the Commissariat. It is to the latter 
gentleman that the public are indebted for the greater part 
of the following details ; he having attended Captain 
Barker closely during the whole of this short but disas- 
trous excursion, and made notes as copious as they are 
interesting. At the time the Isabella arrived off Cape 
Jervis, the weather was clear and favourable. Captain 
Barker consequently stood into St. Vincent’s Gulf, keep- 
ing, as near as practicable, to the eastern shore, in soundings 
that varied from six to ten fathoms, upon sand and mud. His 
immediate object was to ascertain if there was any commu- 
nication with the lake Alexandrina from the gulf. He 
ascended to lat. 34° 40' where he fully satisfied him- 
self that no channel did exist between them. He found, 
however, that the ranges behind Cape Jervis terminated 
abruptly at Mount Lofty, in lat. 34° 56', and, that a flat 
and wooded country succeeded to the N. and N. E. The 
shore of the gulf tended more to the N.N.W., and mud flats 
and mangrove swamps prevailed along it. 
Mr. Kent informs me, that they landed for the first time 
on the 15th, but that they returned almost immediately to 
the vessel. On the 17th, Captain Barker again landed. 
