270 
SURVEY OF THE INTERTROPICAL 
isi9. abundance and the verdure of the trees gave 
AiigTaa this part a pleasing and picturesque character. 
At the bottom of the opening was a remarkable 
flat-topped hill, under which the waters of the 
inlet appeared to flow in a south-east direction. 
The entrance may possibly form a convenient 
port, for there was no appearance of shoal water 
near it. The land, which forms its westernmost 
head, appeared at first like an island, but was 
afterwards presumed to be a projecting head, se- 
parating the opening from a deep bight, which 
was called Paterson Bay ; at the bottom of the 
bay is another opening, or inlet, that may have 
some communication with the first. The western 
side of Paterson Bay is formed by very low land, 
off which many patches of dry rocks were seen 
to extend ; beyond this, the coast appeared to be 
low and sandy. Light and adverse winds, and 
29. calms, with a constant easterly current, detained 
us in the vicinity of Paterson Bay until the fol- 
lowing sunset ; when, in order to preserve the 
little progress made, we anchored near the reefs, 
on the western side of the bay. During the 
preceding day, sixteen or twenty natives were 
noticed upon the sandy beach that fronts the red 
cliffs, on the eastern side of the bay, engaged in 
fishing, or perhaps in watching our movements ; 
and this evening the smokes of their fires were 
