May 2.

The next day we passed out between the Mount and Greenhill Island, and at night anchored on the south side of May-day Island, at eight miles distance from it.

May 3.

The following day we made some progress to the South-East, and by the afternoon obtained a glimpse of some land bearing between South 3 degrees West and South 18 degrees East.

May 4.

And at sunset the next evening the lowland was traced as far to the southward as South-South-East, upon which several detached hills were seen which probably may have some connexion with Wellington Range.

May 5.

The next day the cutter was anchored within a mile and a half of the south point of a considerable opening, which the boats were prepared to examine.

May 6.

And at daybreak we commenced its exploration, but the greater part of the tide was expended before we reached the entrance, which is fronted by a bank of mud on which there was not more than twelve feet water; the depth, however, increased after we entered the river to four and five fathoms; and as we proceeded up we found the channel to be seven and eight fathoms deep.  The banks on either side were very low; they were composed of a soft mud, and so thickly lined with mangroves as to prevent our landing until we had pulled up for seven or eight miles.  At ten o’clock the flood ceased and the ebb, setting with considerable strength, prevented our proceeding higher up:  here we landed, and after spending some time in taking bearings and examining the country, we returned to the cutter, which we reached early in the afternoon.

The banks where we landed were about two hundred yards apart, but were so low and without a hillock to ascend or a tree to climb to enable us to obtain a view of the country, that we could form but a very slight opinion of the place.  A sugar-loaf-shaped hill, which was also visible from the anchorage, bore South 80 degrees East; at the distance of a league was a rocky hill that bore North 88 1/4 degrees East; and, five or six leagues off, was a range of hills extending from East by South to South 27 degrees East.  In all other directions the eye wandered over a dreary, low, and uninterruptedly flat country; which in most parts is covered with an arundinaceous grass.

The mangrove bushes on the banks of the river, which was quite salt, were crowded with the nests of an egret, in which the young birds were nearly fledged.  Hawks, wild ducks, pelicans, and pigeons, were also abundant, and an immense flight of white cockatoos hovered over the mangroves, and quite disturbed the air with their hideous screamings.  A small black water-bird, about the size of a pigeon, with a white neck and a black ring round it, was observed, but not near enough to enable us to ascertain its species.  On our course up and down the river we encountered several very large alligators, and some were noticed sleeping on the mud.  This was the first time we had seen these animals, excepting that at Goulburn Island, and, as they appeared to be very numerous and large, it was not thought safe to stop all night up the river, which we must have done had we remained for the next flood-tide.