Wednesday 28 September 1836

Wednesday 28^th Sep^t At ½ past 6 Claughton
4 men & myself with 3 days provisions left the Brig
and stood in for the shore. About 8 a light breeze sprung
up from the N.W. the brig weighed I was now about 4 miles below
her making a strenuous effort to reach the shore up to
my Knees in mud & water but it would not do so
gave it up. About 2 o clock by following the shore close
found ourselves in a deep bight formed by the main &
as I ardently hoped an Island thickly studded with Mangroves
Finding we were shoaling our water fast & the tide apparently
not at its lowest ebb not Knowing what the rise & fall might
be I determined on coming too with the Hatch boat and
proceeding in the gig (which always accompanied us) as far
as it was possible. After anchoring, from finding the
set of tide contrary to what I expected, I was greatly
in hopes the land on my right was an Island & we should
soon reach another outlet. After pulling about a
mile I found the flood which was now making
in a contrary direction to the one I wished to go
I was fully convinced of there being another outlet, we
pulled on, but the men were beginning to flag when
on rounding a point to our great joy at a considerable
distance a boat was seen under sail. This circumstance gave
me great pleasure as my conjecture on first
entering this channel was fully proved. We fired a
gun or two to attract their attention, they pulled tow-
-ards us it turned out to be Field. He told me the Brig was at anchor
outside the shoals & nearly in the same berth she had taken up once
before, from the circumstance of their loosing sight of us so suddenly
they had conjectured there might be a passage round
by the channel I had entered he was to come to
see if there was water for the Brig to get inside the shoals. After mutual
congratulations on our success we parted, he for the Brig, I for the boat
which we reached after an hours pulling having picked up a couple
of black swans on the way, there were two also Killed coming in.
Now was prepared for supper could not go on shore to make a fire
so lit one in an iron pot, spread our awning (not unlike the tilt of a
waggon) and prepared to make ourselves snug. After getting some
tea (the greatest luxury a man can have after fatigue which I have
often proved) we now began to prick for the softest plank which necessary
being accomplished we lay down to sleep and awoke next mor-
-ning as much refreshed as if we had slept in the softest of beds.