surement of the difference of
meridians between that place and Port Stephens. The bay on the west side
of Cape Upstart had been recommended by Captain King for that purpose, as
he had considered it likely to be the mouth of an opening. This
conjecture the low land in the head of the bay, together with a singular
break in the distant hills seemed fully to justify. We accordingly
entered the bay and anchored half a mile within the North-East point.
This took us till the afternoon to reach, in consequence of our having a
light land breeze until 3 P.M. when it became steady from North-East,
drawing round to south, after sunset, and veering to South-West again in
the morning. This alternation of land and seabreezes continued during our
stay, for three or four successive days.

In the evening we landed and ascended the North-East extremity of the
Cape, from whence we saw at once that hopes of discovering any opening
were delusive, the low shores of the Bay could be traced all round,
except in the North-West corner, where a point shut out our view.

EXPLORATION OF A RIVER.

On sweeping the western shore with a spyglass, I discovered the mouth of
a river about a mile to the north of a hillock marked in Captain King's
chart. This river was made the object of an exploring party, and next day
Captain Wickham and Lieutenant Eden, went on that interesting service. It
has two entrances, both very shallow, and is of little importance, being
on a lee shore and fronted by a bar, which seems to break at all times of
the tide. However, as there is such very safe anchorage near, the
discovery may hereafter prove of some value. Captain Wickham found it
fresh ten miles from the entrance, but at that point it is nearly lost in
the sands, and so very shallow that the natives have a fishing weir
across it. The land, which appears to be much cut up with creeks, is very
flat on both sides, and is subject to inundations. This was evident from
the signs of drift, to the height of six feet, on the trees that grew
along the banks, themselves not more than a couple of yards above
high-water mark.

The exploring party saw a few natives, but they were too shy to
communicate. One was discovered on a long flat, crawling on his hands and
knees, to catch a glimpse of the strange intruders, and looking more like
a great insect than a man. In the distance up the river a good many
smokes appeared; but I doubt whether this may be considered as denoting a
de