COASTS OF AUSTRALIA. 
81 
however, fortunate for us that we were not often isis. 
obliged to resort to them for a defence, for the A P rii 15 - 
greater number of the twelve that we possessed 
were useless, notwithstanding they were the best 
that could be procured at Port Jackson when the 
vessel was equipped. 
The rocks on the beach, and the stones which 
are scattered about the surface of the ground, are 
all of a ferruginous nature, and appear from their 
colour and weight to contain a large portion of 
iron ; but the needle of the compass was in no 
way affected by being placed near them. The soil 
is also highly coloured by the oxide of iron, and 
it is this that gives the cliffs of this part of the 
coast, particularly the upper portion of them, the 
red appearance that they almost universally pos- 
sess. 
The next day we went to High Point, which 
was found to be the east head of a moderate 
sized port, affording good anchorage and perfect 
security during either moonsoon. A sufficient 
inducement to bring the cutter thus far presented 
itself; and as it was near sunset, our remarks 
were merely confined to bearings from the 
point. 
On preparing to weigh the next morning, four 1 6 . 
Malay proas were observed steering across the 
bay out of an opening which trends round the 
Vol. i. g 
