78 
SURVEY OF THE INTERTROPICAL 
Isis, beautiful hatchet- shape-leafed acacia in full bloom 
April 13. was very conspicuous. The other trees were prin- 
cipally of the eucalyptus family ; but they were all 
of small size. On the west side of the island 
was a dry gully, and a convenient landing-place, 
near to which a bottle was deposited, containing 
a parchment record of our visit, and of the names 
bestowed upon the bays and islands hereabout. 
Three natives were observed walking along 
the sandy beach, at the bottom of the bay ; but 
they passed on without taking the least notice 
of our presence. 
We left the anchorage on the 13th, and crossed 
the bottom of the bay within Copeland Island : 
then steering up the west side we passed a 
large opening, trending to the N.W. Here we 
were detained for some time, by grounding upon 
a sand bank. But by keeping the sails full, the 
vessel dragged over it, and we resumed our 
course to the northward, along the west side 
of Mountnorris Bay ; and, at sunset, anchored 
between it and Darch’s Island, which protected 
us from both the wind and swell, during a very 
squallv night. Darch’s Island, so named after my 
esteemed friend, Thomas Darch, esq., of the 
Admiralty, is, like Yalentia Island, very thickly 
wooded. Its eastern side is a continued bluff 
cliffy shore, but the north and south ends are low, 
