Friday 9 September 1836

We weighed at daybreak and ran in a mile nearer the beach and after breakfast Hill and I with the jolly-boat’s crew took the seine and our guns on shore, but with both were equally unsuccessful. We however had more time for examining the country and the more we saw of it the more we are pleased with it and all the wonder is that the place has not been colonised before. The fragrance that is wafted off to the ship by the land breeze is delicious and I have discovered today that not a little of it is derived from the geranium which abounds just above high-water mark. When we landed we found our two native women returned from their hunt without success but after eating a hearty meal they again started apparently not in the least fatigued. The activity of these women is astonishing as not one of our party was able to keep up with them for more than a mile. The tents are pitched and Captain Light and his party sleep on shore tonight for the first time. They seem very comfortable, and their little encampment, consisting of four tents, with the Ensign flying and a glorious fire, in as beautiful a valley as was ever made by Nature’s hands, is cheering and picturesque in the extreme. We have as yet seen none of the natives although I walked more than two miles inland in pursuit of game. Captain Martin left us early this morning to make a tour of the Gulf in his tiny whale-boat – he may like it, for my part I feel much more comfortable on board the “Rapid”.