mud, which rendered landing, except at high water, impossible.  The country on all sides presented a low level plain, the monotony of which was occasionally relieved by a few wooded hills, and some groups of trees, among which the palm-tree was conspicuous, and tended in a trifling degree to improve the view, which, to say the best of it, was unvaried and heavy.  The low land, at least that part over which the fires had not passed, Was covered with a thickly matted broom-grass; and, where it was burnt off, the soil was observed to be composed of a hard and stiff clay, the surface of which bore the appearance of having been frequently inundated, either by high tides, or, more probably, by freshes in the rainy season.

We saw very few birds, and those were chiefly cockatoos; but alligators were as numerous as in the other river, whence the name of Alligator Rivers were bestowed upon them.

The water where we landed was fresh enough to be nearly drinkable, and probably would be quite sweet at half ebb.

May 8.

The ebb-tide did not serve to carry us on board, and the boat’s crew were so fatigued by having been pulling all day, that we were obliged to drop the grapnel within seven miles of the cutter to await the turn of tide, so that it was not until midnight that we reached the vessel much exhausted.

May 9.

The next day we left our anchorage, and took up a station within Field Island, intending, if possible, to go through the passage between Barron and Field Islands.  At low water the banks dried for a considerable extent.

May 10.

But as there was every appearance of the existence of a narrow passage between the islands, we ran through the next morning at high water; and, in passing the narrows, had over-falls between three and fifteen fathoms:  as soon as we reached a favourable bottom, we anchored in four fathoms in order to await the uncovering of the shoals at low water, so that we might see our way on, and construct the chart of this entrance with more correctness.  Field Island is low and thickly wooded, and is surrounded by a rocky shoal which dries at low water, and extends to a considerable distance off its North-West end.  The smoke of a fire having been seen on the island when we passed, it was presumed to have been at that time occupied by natives.

Another opening was observed to the westward of the river we last examined. and as it bore a similar appearance, the name of Alligator Rivers was extended to it.

May 11.

The next morning we resumed our course to the westward; and, after coasting along a low shore, anchored at night in the South-West corner of the gulf, in three and a half fathoms; the land, from being so low, was scarcely distinct, but it appeared to be sandy.

May 12.

The next day we passed a considerable opening, or, as it was thought to be, a bight; for many patches of land were observed on the horizon:  The wind blew so fresh from the eastward that I did not venture to run into it, but steered towards some land to the northward that formed the northern boundary of the opening, and which proved to be that which had been seen by us from Popham Bay; and as it afterwards proved to be an island, it was called after the title of the noble Viscount, now First Lord of the Admiralty.