Friday 30 September 1836

30 September-Moderate breezes; at seven a.m., left the ship in the surveying boat, and got into the harbour by a small channel about a mile to the northward of the southern entrance, and after passing a short reach with about two fathoms on it, we sailed, with a fine breeze from the N.W., up another of full three miles in extent to the southward, carrying three or four fathoms all the way. We went on shore for a short time on the island, to see if any fresh water could be found, but saw nothing like it; there were several ponds there, dry, with salt deposits on the surface. At the end of this reach, a large inlet appeared, still keeping a southerly direction; but as I was anxious to examine to the eastward, we ran about one mile in that direction, when another creek appeared in a line with Mount Lofty; into this I bent my course, with the strong hope of finding it prove the mouth of some fresh water stream from the mountains. My joy was great on finding two fathoms in this creek, then nearly low water, but having gone about a mile, the boat suddenly grounded, and here we lay about two hours-but a part of the time was agreeably spent in eating our dinner. I observed that at dead low water, the weeds at the bottom still laid their heads outwards, which strengthened my opinion of its connection with some running stream from the land; at half past two, the flood beginning to make, I got into the gig with a couple of hands, and proceeded about three quarters of a mile farther. The gig again grounded, but as the tide flowed, we crawled on, and an inlet presented itself to the eastward, the one we were in terminating in swampy ground. We entered this inlet, but with every exertion could get but a short distance up, and we could not see three boats’ length for the mangroves; I landed for the purpose of tracing on shore the source or direction of this creek, but the swamp and mangroves checked me entirely, therefore I returned to the hatch-boat, which being now afloat, we got under way; and having now fully persuaded myself that no part of this harbour could be that described by Captain Jones, I resolved on returning to the brig, to run down the coast again, and see if by any chance we could have missed so desirable a shelter; but my mind was so impressed with the capabilities of this place, that it was my determination, should we be fortunate enough to discover the other, to return again to this as soon as I had made the first necessary survey. At seven p.m. we came to an anchor in the long reach, and sent the gig to break branches off the mangroves for a fire on board the boat; we then had tea and a glass of grog, and slumbered quietly during the night, in spite of the frequent gusts of wind and rain.