COASTS OF AUSTRALIA. 
25 
ever finding it. We then returned into the gulf 1813. 
to prosecute its examination, but as usual, the Feb. 14. 
wind fell, and the only progress we made was 
by the assistance of the flood -tide, which ran 
until sunset ; a fresh breeze then sprung up, and 
the night was passed under sail. At daylight the 
following morning the cutter was about four miles 
from the western shore, but the day was so calm 
that very little progress was made. The ther- 
mometer indicated a temperature of 97°, which, 
from the absence of the sea-breeze, and from our 
not having an awning to protect us from the sun’s 
rays, was almost insufferable; and although our 
crew were happily in good health, yet my fears 
were momentarily alive lest any should be 
taken ill. A land-wind at night enabled us to 
make some progress, and before dark we had 
reached twenty -five miles into the opening with- 
out seeing any thing like its termination ; the 
western side still trended in a southerly direc- 
tion, losing itself in distance, and bore the ap- 
pearance of being an island. By the next day 
we descried some hills of peaked shape to the 
southward, which was the only indication we had 
of the termination of the gulf*: to the eastward 
the islands were very numerous and low ; but 
to the S.E. the land was so continuous as to 
impress us with the idea of its being the conti- 
