w. But we must take into
consideration their isolated position, the constant sameness of their
life, their small low thatched cottages, mostly with earthen floors;
their inferior diet, and also the absence or scantiness of vegetables.
Most of the men, moreover, experience a constant yearning for home,
which, yearly increasing, terminates in despondency, and leaves them open
to the attacks of disease. Scorbutic symptoms were at one period very
prevalent, arising principally from the poor form of diet; similar cases
occurred in a former settlement on that part of the coast, from the same
causes; but although Port Essington has been of late visited by sickness,
I do not consider it by any means an unhealthy spot.)

Considering Port Essington as a harbour of refuge for the crews of ships
wrecked in Torres Strait, it is certainly far removed from the scene of
distress; and looking upon it in this light only, a military station at
Cape York would probably be attended with greater benefit and less
expense, though, as it might be expected to meet with annoyance from the
natives of the islands in Torres Strait, who are badly disposed and
wander over a great space in search of plunder, the party should not be
very small. There is, moreover, no real harbour; but, at the same time,
as the post would be on a low narrow projection, with a seabreeze
sweeping over it in either monsoon, it would doubtless be cooler than at
Port Essington.

I may observe that the only instance that came under my immediate notice
of the benefit of a harbour of refuge on the north coast, was that of a
vessel wrecked too far to the westward to reach Cape York, the crew of
which arrived at Port Essington in their boats.

It was in some measure at the request of the surgeon, in order to
alleviate Mr. Fitzmaurice's great sufferings by a little rest, that our
stay was lengthened to September 7th, when we left in the morning.*

(*Footnote. While steering North by East 1/2 East for Point Record, we
discovered a bank of 4 1/2 fathoms, with 7 and 8 on each side. When just
off it, to the northward, in 7 fathoms, the west extreme of Point Record
bore North 19 1/4 East, and its east extreme North 35 1/4 East, and the
north-east end of Spear Point North 59 degrees West.)

SAHUL SHOAL.

By noon we had cleared the heads of Port Essington, and a course was then
shaped for the supposed Sahul Shoal, the northern and central parts of
which we passed over without findin