Monday 3 October 1836

Monday, 3rd October.
Some of our Officers having imagined they saw the mouth of a larger river about two miles to the southward of us, we weighed anchor after breakfast and the Brig proceeded in the direction indicated while another party which I joined, walked along the shore a distance of six miles without finding a stream of any kind. Finding we were deceived we returned to the anchorage we left in the morning and we shall probably remain here some days as there will be work of much interest to the Surveyors. The stream or river is a very fine one, boats of ten tons being able to enter it at high water and at low water it is perfectly fresh within a mile of the mouth of it. There is a most beautiful and level plain on the Southern side of it. This plain is about eight miles in length and four miles from the shore to the foot of the hills, the soil being sandy near the former but gradually improving as we approach the latter. The gale moderated last night and the weather today has been very fine.