nchorage proved so welcome to our fatigued crew,
that the place was not unaptly named the Bay of Rest. We remained here
three days, in which time I was enabled to lay down my plan of the gulf,
and give some little respite to the people who had been up both night and
day, and most laboriously occupied, since we rounded the North-West Cape.

As soon as the vessel was secured Mr. Bedwell landed on the eastern shore
of the bay, and found it to be of bold approach, but lined with coral
rocks, and covered with dead shells, among which a buccinum of immense
size was noticed. The soil, if such it can be called, is composed of a
red quartzose sand; but on the hills it contained also a small portion of
earth, which gave it a strong resemblance to brick-dust. The country is
slightly sprinkled with a stunted vegetation, and bore a most desert-like
appearance; and on the shore we noticed a few mangrove bushes.

The sea was abundantly stocked with fish and turtle, though it did not
appear to be the season for the latter to lay their eggs. An immense
shark was hooked, but it broke the hook and escaped: its length was about
twelve feet, of an ashy-gray colour, spotted all over with darker marks;
the belly was white, and the nose short; it was altogether different from
any we had before seen. The impression of what appeared to have been an
emu's foot was noticed upon the sand, there is reason, however, to think
we may have been deceived; we never afterwards saw one of those birds on
the north coast.

The country was covered with immense ant-hills; one that Mr. Cunningham
measured was eight feet high, and nearly twenty-six in circumference; but
on breaking it up, he found it to be deserted by its constructors: an
iguana, which was hunted by that gentleman, took refuge in one of these
hills, which proved a safe asylum, for, although he broke a great part
down, it escaped.

February 16.

During the following day, Mr. Bedwell examined the bottom of the bay,
where he found a narrow opening, communicating with an inner basin of
small extent, containing from two to five feet water, well stocked with
fish: during the afternoon Mr. Roe walked over the sand-ridges behind the
beach, and provided me with an outline, and the particular features of a
part of the coast.

The country at the back of the bay was in flames during our stay, which
proved, if a proof were required, that this arid and barren extremity of
Australia is not destitute of in