COASTS OF AUSTRALIA. 
235 
on either side of our course.” The particulars 
of these discoveries of Lieutenant Roe are given 
in the Appendix, under the description of the 
North-East Coast, in the order in which they 
Occur. 
Having cleared Torres’ Strait, the Tamar an- 
chored in Port Essington. Lieutenant Roe then 
says, Having brought the ship to anchor off 
Table Point in Port Essington, all the boats 
were hoisted out and the marines landed, when, 
an union-jack being fixed upon a conspicuous 
tree near the extremity of the point, formal pos- 
session was taken of the north coast of Australia, 
between the meridians of 129° and 136° East of 
Greenwich. The marines fired three volleys, 
and the Tamar a royal salute, upon the oc- 
casion. 
Our first object being to find water, parties 
were despatched in various directions for that 
purpose ; but after traversing many miles of 
country, and coasting a great deal of the port, 
only one place was discovered (the low sandy, 
east point of entrance to Inner Harbour), where 
any was to be procured, and it was then only 
obtained by digging deep holes in the sand. A 
large Malay encampment had recently removed 
from this spot, leaving their fire-places and tem- 
porary couches, and large piles of fire- wood to 
