depth the finest body of fresh water I had seen in Australia; and our
hopes were that day sanguine that we should find an outlet to the sea of
proportionate magnitude.

August 20.

This morning I found there was a rise of six inches in the river,
evidently the effect of tide as the water was brackish although still fit
for use. The reach on which we embarked afforded us a view for a mile
further down the river; the vista being truly picturesque and with the
interest attached to the scene it looked indeed quite enchanting. We
pulled on through the silent waters, awakening the slumbering echoes with
many a shot at the numerous swans or ducks. At length another change took
place in the general course of the river which from west turned to
east-south-east. The height of the banks appeared to diminish rapidly and
a very numerous flock of the small sea-swallow or tern indicated our
vicinity to the sea. The slow-flying pelican also with its huge bill
pursued, regardless of strangers its straight-forward course over the
waters.

ISLE OF BAGS.

A small bushy island next came in sight having on it some rocks
resembling what we should have thought a great treasure then, a pile of
flour-bags and we named it accordingly the Isle of Bags.

ARRIVAL AT THE SEACOAST.

Soon after passing the island a few low, sandy-looking hills appeared
before us; and we found ourselves between two basins where in the water
was very shallow although we had sounded just previously to entering one
of them in four fathoms. The widest lay directly before us but having no
outlet we steered into the other on the right and on rounding a low rocky
point we saw the green rolling breakers of the sea through an opening
which proved to be the mouth of the river. It consisted of two low rocky
points and as soon as we had pulled outside of them we landed on the
eastern one. In the two basins we had seen there was scarcely sufficient
water to float the boats and thus our hopes of finding a port at the
mouth of this fine river were at once at an end. The sea broke on a sandy
beach outside and on ascending one of the sandhills near it I perceived
Cape Northumberland; the rocks outside called the Carpenters bearing 7
degrees 20 minutes South of West (variation 3 degrees 30 minutes) and
being distant, as I judged, about fifteen miles. Mount Gambier bore 23
degrees 40 minutes North of West and a height which seemed near the
extreme point of the coast on the eastwar