t, as it was perfectly smooth we
immediately hove her off without her sustaining the least damage and
dropped back into our old berth between Point Paterson and Bowen's Point
so named from Mr. Bowen's skirmish with the natives in it. The flies are
now so troublesome as to almost hinder a person from sitting a moment in
one place.

"Tuesday, March 2nd. Employed getting on board stones for ballast and
stowing them away. At 4 A.M. sent the longboat for a turn of water and to
sound that part of the harbour between the vessel and it; by noon she
returned on board with a turn of water, it was found that a bank of sand
lay from shore to the distance of a mile or a mile and a quarter with
only, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 feet on it at low water and it extends nearly 4
miles along shore. When you have passed this there is from 5 to 9 fathoms
water abreast of the watering place, there is however little doubt of a
deep channel being outside of this shoal, and this point will be
ascertained in the course of to-morrow.

"Thursday, March 4th. P.M. The launch returned on board with a turn of
water but had not been able to find a channel for vessel of any draught
of water though she stood well out from the shore to at best 3 miles.
This bank has only from 4 to 8 feet water on it and in many places is not
above a hundred yards broad.

"Friday, March 5th. I went in the launch in search of a channel by which
vessels of a larger draught than ours might be got up abreast of the
watering place and was fortunate enough to find one a mile at least in
breadth lying off the southern shores of this Port about 3 miles and
having from 16 to 6 fathoms water in at low water and neap tides; and in
this water a vessel of any draught may be secure from all winds at about
a mile and a half from the spring at which to-day I loaded the boat with
water and examined it. As far as we are judges it is most excellent water
as clear as crystal--lies from the beach about 10 or a dozen yards and
plenty of it to water the Grand Fleet of England; it is nearer the
entrance than the foot of Arthur's Seat by about 2 miles, and can easily
be found out by the land which for a few miles before you come to it is
low whereas all the other land on both sides is high with bold points; if
a boat then East or east by south from Point Paterson 9 miles puts into
the shore they will not be far off it, there is plenty of duck about it,
but so shy that only two have been shot, a circumstanc