n _dip_ of the south end of the needle, observed at the tents, was
36 deg. 28'.

_Variation_ of the theodolite, 2 deg. 20' E.

On board the ship, at anchor off the south-west side of the inner island
at the entrance, the variation from three compasses, with the head N. W.
by W., was 2 deg. 26'; by the surveying compass alone, 2 deg. 46' east, and this,
which I consider to be the best, would be, corrected, 1 deg. 14' E.

At my different stations on shore, the variation seemed to be between 2 deg.
and 2 deg. 20' east; except on the north-east end of the outer island in the
entrance, where it appeared to be no more than 1 deg. 30'.

The rise of _tide_ in Caledon Bay was so small, that nothing certain
could be determined on board, either upon the quantity or the time; but
it appeared from the observations of lieutenant Fowler at the tents, that
there were two tides in the day, the rise of which varied from 3 feet 10,
to 4 feet 10 inches; and that the time of high water took place at _nine
hours and a half after_ the moon passed over and under the meridian.

On board the ship, the range of the thermometer was from 83 deg. to 87 deg.,
nearly as it had been from first entering the Gulph of Carpentaria; and
on shore it was probably 10 deg. higher. Several of our people were ill of
diarrhoeas at this time, accompanied with some fever, which was
attributed by the surgeon to the heat and the moist state of the
atmosphere; for since December, when the north-west monsoon began, not
many days had passed without rain, and thunder squalls were frequent.
Exposing the head uncovered to the sun, more especially if engaged in
strong exercise, was proved to be very dangerous here; I lost one man in
Blue-mud Bay from a want of due precaution in this particular, and at
this place two others very narrowly escaped. Musketoes were numerous and
exceedingly troublesome on shore, as also the black flies; but no
venemous reptiles were seen in our limited excursions round Caledon Bay.
The mercury in the barometer stood between 29.90 and 29.95 inches, in the
rainy weather with strong winds from the eastward; but with fine weather
and variable winds, more especially from the south and westward, it
descended to 29.80 inches.

CHAPTER IX.

Departure from Caledon Bay.
Cape Arnhem.
Melville Bay.
Cape Wilberforce, and Bromby's Isles.
The English Company's Islands: meeting there with vessels from Macassar.
Arnhem Bay.
The Wessel's Islands.
Further