h a salt incrustation, occasioned by the evaporation of
the sea, which, apparently, had lately flooded the low lands to a great
extent: some of these plains are seven and eight miles in diameter. The
hills rise abruptly; those we examined are of sandstone formation. The
basin is very shoal, but there is a narrow channel in the centre, with
from five to nine fathoms water. The shore, opposite the Bastion Hills,
is low, and the gulf trends gradually round to the South-West for five
miles, when it is contracted into a narrow communication, called The Gut,
leading to an interior shoal basin, strewed with low marshy islands,
which the tide covers. This basin terminates to the southward in a narrow
stream, winding under the base of Mount Cockburn; and there also appeared
to be several others falling into the basin more to the westward. The
water was salt at the extremity of our exploration. The Gut leading to it
is two miles long, and not so much as a quarter of a mile wide: in some
parts we had nineteen fathoms, but in others it was deeper; it runs
through a chasm in the hills, which rise abruptly, and occasionally
recede and form bights, in which, in the wet season, the rains form some
very considerable mountain torrents. No fresh water was seen in any part
of the gulf; but as it was near the end of the dry season when we were
there, it might probably be found in a more advanced season in every part
of the western side, where the land is high and the gullies numerous:
there is, however, no durable freshwater stream without the Gut. An
alligator was observed swimming about, but very few fish were noticed.

The coast extends from Cape Dussejour to Cape Londonderry, a distance of
ninety-five miles, without an opening, and with but few sinuosities of
any consequence. The coast is chiefly rocky, with here and there a few
sandy beaches: but the shore generally is open and exposed: there are
many parts, however, where a boat might land; particularly behind BUCKLE
HEAD, and a little farther on at REVELEY ISLAND: at the latter place
there is a gully in the hills, at the back of the bay, which may probably
produce fresh water: this bay is near Captain Baudin's MOUNT CASUARINA, a
flat-topped hill, that is conspicuous from the sea. The mount is only
visible between the bearings of South and West-South-West, and may be
seen at the distance of seven or eight leagues. It is situated at six
miles from the shore, in latitude 14 degrees 23 min