THE BROWN ISLANDS.

As there was every probability of the ship being detained in this neighbourhood for some days, searching for traces of Lieutenants Grey and Lushington’s party, and as the examination of Collier Bay, where we still hoped to find an opening leading into the interior, would prevent the necessity of our return to this part of the coast, I applied to Captain Wickham, for permission to proceed with the two whaleboats on that service.  A wound on the foot had in some degree unfitted me for any very active duty, but I felt satisfied that the opportunity—­perhaps the last I might have—­ought not to be undervalued or neglected.

BRECKNOCK HARBOUR.

April 8.

By daylight on the 8th, the boats had left the ship, and were standing to the southward among the islands.  Our party consisted of Mr. Helpman, Mr. Fitzmaurice and myself.  Passing through the eastern part of Port George the Fourth, we entered Roger Strait, which led into a large sheet of water, forming a beautiful harbour; we landed to obtain a better view of it, on a small island at the southern entrance of this strait.  This islet looked truly inviting, being clothed with long rich grass, which to our cost we found concealed boulders of granite; this was the first time we met with this primitive rock, and from the colour of the surrounding heights it was evident we were in an old red sandstone region.  Strange to say the attraction on this island rendered our compasses quite useless; we noticed on its North-West side a portion of the wreck of a small vessel.  There was a small mangrove inlet in the South-East corner of this harbour, over which the land was low, forming a gap in the neighbouring heights.  We now pushed on for an island lying in the entrance of the harbour, bearing West by North 6 miles; our soundings in passing over this part (of what we afterwards called Brecknock Harbour, as Captain King had named the entrance of it Camden Sound, from a distant view he had of it) gave a depth of 7 fathoms, over an even muddy bottom; but towards and in the entrance it increased to 13 fathoms.

ENTRANCE ISLE.

The island we now landed on, we called from its situation, Entrance Island.  From a high part overlooking its steep southern side we had a very commanding view.  The centre of a string of small islets bore north one mile; there extended 2 miles in a west direction, from the north point of the harbour; both these and Entrance Isle escaped Captain King’s notice, owing to the distant view he had of this part of the coast.  A point bearing South-West distant 3 miles, was the extreme of the mainland that we could see in the direction we were going.  We found the sandstone of this Island not of the same ancient red colour as that on the shore fronting it.  One boat was employed in the meantime sounding the entrance of the harbour, which we found to be 2 miles across, and from 9 to 15 fathoms deep; the mouth of it faces the West-North-West, Entrance Isle lying half a mile outside its points, with a clear channel nearly a mile wide, on either side of it.