Mr. Roe informed me that there was good anchorage round the
point; and where he landed at Point Cunningham there was plenty of fresh
water; but he saw nothing like land to the South-East; the coast trended
from Point Cunningham to the south, and was of low wooded sandy land. The
heat was excessive; the thermometer at noon, out of the influence of the
sun, stood at 120 degrees, and when they landed at Point Cunningham Mr.
Roe thought the heat was increased at least 10 degrees. At this place he
obtained an indifferent meridian altitude which placed it in 16 degrees
40 minutes 18 seconds South.

In the meantime Mr. Cunningham, who had accompanied him, botanised with
success. The traces of natives, dogs, turtle-bones, and broken shells,
were found strewed about; and several fireplaces were noticed that had
very recently been used; a fresh-water stream was running down the rocks
into the sea, and at the back of the beach was a hollow, full of sweet
water. Near the fireplaces Mr. Roe picked up some stones that had been
chipped probably in the manufacture of their hatchets.

The soil was of a red-coloured earth of a very sandy nature; and the
rocks were two sorts of sandstone, one of a deep red colour, the other
whitish, and harder. After leaving Point Cunningham they pulled round the
rocks, which extended for some distance off the point, and then entered a
bay, all over which they found good anchorage; a low distant point formed
the south extreme, but it was too late to reach it and at high-water they
landed at a bright red, cliffy point.

At half-past five o'clock they re-embarked on their return and, although
the tide was in their favour, were six hours before they reached the
vessel; from which Mr. Roe calculated the distance to be nearly twenty
miles, and by the survey subsequently made it was found to be seventeen.

February 11.

We did not leave this anchorage until the 11th and then had some
difficulty in doing it, on account of the shoalness of the water upon the
sandbank that fronts the bay; indeed we were obliged to anchor until the
tide rose high enough to permit our crossing it. At two o'clock we again
got underweigh and crossed the bank, when the wind falling calm we
anchored with Point Cunningham bearing South 17 degrees East three and a
half miles.

February 12.

The following morning I sent Mr. Roe to the point to take some bearings;
the boat left the brig at half-past three o'clock but did not succeed