COASTS OF AUSTRALIA. 
2G9 
evening we made the land, on the south side isi9. 
of Clarence Strait, in the vicinity of Vernon’s Aug. 27 . 
Islands : this was the last land seen by us on 
leaving the coast in May, 1818 . 
Between Goulburn Island and this part, we 
had a succession of light baffling winds, with 
sultry, damp, and hazy weather, which proved 
very unfavourable for our sick, the number of 
whom was increasing. Mr. Bedwell was con- 
fined to his bed, with a serious attack of dysen- 
tery, occasioned by exposure to the sun, whilst 
superintending the shore parties at Goulburn 
Island ; and the greater part of the crew were 
affected with ophthalmia, probably occasioned by 
the excessive glare and reflection of the sun’s 
rays from the calm glassy surface of the sea. 
At daylight on the 28 th, we found ourselves 28 . 
near the land to the south-west of Vernon’s Is- 
lands, which also were in sight. To the south 
was a deep opening, trending to the south-east of 
a river-like appearance ; but, as it did not seem 
to be of sufficient importance to detain us, we 
passed on the westward. 
The land hereabouts is low, and thickly 
wooded to the brink of the deep red-coloured 
cliffs, that form the projecting heads of the 
coast ; the wood near the sea had not the ap- 
pearance of being of large growth; but the 
