dented Head, five leagues off. At the end of the first
mile and a half the depth was 11 fathoms, but afterwards no bottom at 12
until within two miles of the western shore, where it was 9 fathoms. We
landed at nine o'clock at night, near the uppermost part which had yet
been seen.

FRIDAY 30 APRIL 1802

In the morning a fire was perceived two hundred yards from the tent; and
the Indians appeared to have decamped from thence on our landing. Whilst
I was taking angles from a low point at the north-easternmost part of
Indented Head, a party of the inhabitants showed themselves about a mile
from us; and on landing there we found a hut with a fire in it, but the
people had disappeared, and carried off their effects. I left some strips
of cloth, of their favourite red colour, hanging about the hut, and
proceeded westward along the shore to examine the arm of the port running
in that direction.

Three natives having made their appearance abreast of the boat, we again
landed. They came to us without hesitation, received a shag and some
trifling presents with pleasure, and parted with such of their arms as we
wished to possess without reluctance. They afterwards followed us along
the shore; and when I shot another bird, which hovered over the boat, and
held it up to them, they ran down to the water-side and received it
without expressing either surprise or distrust. Their knowledge of the
effect of fire-arms I then attributed to their having seen me shoot birds
when unconscious of being observed; but it had probably been learned from
Mr. Murray.

At noon I landed to take an observation of the sun, which gave 38 deg. 7' 6"
for the latitude; my position being nearly at the northern extremity of
Indented Head. Some bearings were taken from the brow of a hill a little
way back; and after a dinner of which the natives partook, we left them
on friendly terms to proceed westward in our examination. The water
became very shallow abreast of a sandy point, whence the shore trends
nearly south-west; and there being no appearance of an opening to the sea
this way, I steered across the western arm, as well to ascertain its
depth as with the intention of ascending the hills lying behind the
northern shore. Two of the peaks upon these hills had been set from the
ship's deck at sunset of the 25th, at the distance of thirty-seven miles;
and as their elevation must consequently be a thousand feet, or more, I
expected to obtain from thence suc