CLARENCE STRAIT separates Bathurst and Melville Islands from the mainland:  it is seventy-five miles long, and from seventeen to thirty-five wide.  The narrowest part is at about its centre, between Cape Gambier and Cape Eldon, and in this space is a group of four low rocky islands, covered with mangroves (Vernon’s Islands) from which considerable reefs extend towards either shore.

The best channel is probably on the northern side, near Cape Gambier, which is in latitude 11 degrees 56 minutes 20 seconds; and there also appeared to be a wide and safe channel on the south side; but the neighbourhood of Vernon’s Islands is rocky.  The flood-tide sets to the eastward into the gulf.

MELVILLE ISLAND is of considerable size, and forms the western side of Van Diemen’s Gulf; its greatest length from Cape Van Diemen to Cape Keith being seventy-two miles, and its greatest breadth thirty-eight miles; its circumference is two hundred miles.

We did not land on any part of it, excepting in the entrance of Apsley Strait, at Luxmoore Head (latitude 11 degrees 21 minutes, longitude 130 degrees 22 minutes) from which we were driven by the natives.  It appeared fertile and more elevated than the coast to the eastward, and to possess several good harbours, particularly Apsley Strait, besides several bays on its north coast; and from the appearance of the land on its east side, and the extent and abrupt shape of the hills, it is probable that there may be a port there also.

BRENTON BAY is the mouth of a small inlet, which may probably prove to be a fresh-water stream; and the bottom of LETHBRIDGE BAY appeared likely to yield one also.  The hills and coast are wooded to the brink of the cliffs and sandy beaches that vary the northern shores of Melville Island.

The most unproductive part appeared to be the narrow strip that extends towards Cape Van Diemen.  On either side of the point, near Karslake Island, is a bay, and at the bottom of each there is an opening in the land, like those of Brenton and Lethbridge Bays.

The western trend of CAPE VAN DIEMEN is in latitude 11 degrees 8 minutes 15 seconds, and longitude 130 degrees 20 minutes 30 seconds.  The coast to the south-east of the cape is formed by a range of cliffs, extending uninterruptedly for seven miles, of a most remarkable white appearance, whiter even than the usual colour of the pipe-clay cliffs to the eastward.  Cape Van Diemen is a low sandy point, with a shoal spit projecting from it for four miles, within half a mile of the extremity of which we had no bottom with ten fathoms:  from this a very considerable shoal (MERMAID’S SHOAL) extends to the westward and south-westward for seventeen miles; and, curving round to PIPER’S HEAD, forms the northern limit of the entrance to Apsley Strait:  its western edge is rather steep; we coasted along it, and had overfalls between ten and four fathoms near its edge.  It is not only possible, but very likely, that there