Upon reaching the brig, the anchor was weighed, and with a fresh sea-breeze from South-East we soon reached Oyster Harbour, but in crossing the bar the vessel took the ground in eleven and a half feet water, and it was some time before we succeeded in heaving her over, and reaching the anchorage we had occupied at our last visit.  Whilst warping in, the natives, who had followed the vessel along the sandy beach that separates the two harbours, were amusing themselves near us in striking fish with a single barbed spear, in which sport they appeared to be tolerably successful.  As soon as we passed the bar three other natives made their appearance on the east side, who, upon the boat going to that shore to lay out the kedges, took their seats in it as unceremoniously as a passenger would in a ferry-boat; and upon its returning to the brig, came on board, and remained with us all the afternoon, much amused with everything they saw, and totally free from timidity or distrust.  Each of our visitors was covered with a mantle of kangaroo-skin, but these were laid aside upon their being clothed with other garments, with the novelty of which they appeared greatly diverted.  The natives on the opposite shore seeing that their companions were admitted, were loudly vociferous in their request to be sent for also; but unfortunately for them it was the lee shore, so that no boat went near them; and as we did not wish to be impeded by having so many on the deck at one time, their request was not acceded to and by degrees they separated and retired in different directions.

As soon as the brig was secured two of our visitors went ashore, evidently charged with some message from the other native, but as he voluntarily remained on board nothing hostile was suspected; we therefore landed and dug a hole three feet deep among the grass about two yards above the highest tide-mark, for water; but it was found to be so highly coloured and muddy as it flowed in, that other holes were dug in the sand nearer the edge of the tide-mark, where it was also produced, and proved to be of a much better taste, as well as clearer, from being filtered through the sand.

On examining the place of our former encampment, it was so much altered from the rapid growth of vegetation that we could scarcely recognise its situation.  The stem of the casuarina on which the Mermaid’s name and the date of our visit had been carved was almost destroyed by fire; and the inscription in consequence so nearly obliterated that the figures 1818, and two or three letters alone remained visible.  There was not the least trace of our garden, for the space which it formerly occupied was covered by three or four feet of additional soil, formed of sand and decayed vegetable matter and clothed with a thicket of fine plants in full flower, that would be much prized in any other place than where they were.  The initials of the names of some of our people were still very perfect upon the stem of a large Banksia grandis which, from being covered with its superb flowers, bore a magnificent and striking appearance.