COASTS OF AUSTRALIA 
83 
towards the headmost proa in which their Rajah 
sailed. 
1818 . 
April 16 . 
Since our object could not be effected without 
communicating with their Rajah, and as another 
opportunity might offer at some future time of 
communicating with these people, it was abandon- 
ed for the present ; and we steered into the bay, 
and anchored within a small island at the entrance, 
in time to observe the sun’s meridional altitude. 
The evening was spent in pulling round the 
the bay, the shores of which are low, and so 
overrun with mangroves, that landing was in 
most parts impracticable ; but a small break 
in them being observed under a cliff, we put 
ashore to examine the country. Here we found 
two streams of fresh water, one of which ran 
over the beach with some force ; but they ap- 
peared to be only the drainings of the country, 
and to be merely of temporary duration. The 
soil was here very good, but the trees and under- 
wood were so thick that we did not venture far 
from the boat. A native’s basket was found, 
and the usual signs of their having lately been 
hereabouts. We also landed on a projecting 
point, at the bottom of the bay, to obtain bear- 
ings ; and a second time under a remarkable cliffy 
point on the west side, from the summit of which 
another set of bearings were obtained, which com- 
G 2 
