wn, at the Cape of Good Hope, and are
described by him to be vegetables impregnated with carbonate of lime; but
from the specimens we obtained, it would appear that it is neither coral,
nor a petrified vegetable substance, but merely sand agglutinated by
calcareous matter**.

(*Footnote. Vancouver volume 1 page 49. Flinders volume 1 page 63.)

(**Footnote. Vide Appendix, C.)

January 21.

The next morning we got under weigh, and stood over to the entrance of
Oyster Harbour, off which we anchored to examine the bar; after
satisfying myself on this head, and choosing a spot within the entrance
to anchor at, we got under-sail, and in crossing the bar had not less
than thirteen feet and a half, being nearly about the time of high water;
but between the heads of the harbour it deepened to five, seven, and
eight fathoms. Our anchorage was about twenty-five yards from the eastern
shore, and not more than fifty yards within the narrowest part of the
entrance; it was convenient for our purposes, as the wood was abundantly
procured close to our water-holes, which were dug at the edge of the
sand, within thirty yards of the vessel; so that the people employed in
these occupations could be protected against the natives by the proximity
of the cutter, without preventing the necessary repairs to the rigging
being carried on at the same time by the remainder of the crew on board.

January 21 to 31.

During our stay in Oyster Harbour many parts of the neighbourhood were
visited by us; and on one occasion, Mr. Roe walked round its shores; in
doing which he got into great danger. Upon leaving the vessel, his
intention was only to go to a projecting head on the western side, for
the purpose of taking a sketch; but being tempted to extend his walk, he
had half traversed the shore of the harbour before he thought of
returning. He had already waded over the river that falls into the
North-West corner of the port, which was not more than four feet deep;
and to avoid crossing it again, he preferred returning to the tent, by
making the circuit of the harbour: but after proceeding some distance
further, he unexpectedly met with another river, deeper and wider than
that which he had previously passed; this proved to be the Riviere de
Francois of Captain Baudin; it falls into Oyster Harbour at its
North-East corner, about two miles to the eastward of the Western River.
In attempting to ford this, finding the water deeper than he expected, he