While the men were preparing for embarkation I strolled with Lieutenant Lushington up the valley, a little beyond the late encampment:  the Timor ponies were busily engaged upon the fresh grass; near the banks of a beautiful pool in which we both enjoyed a freshwater bath, I noticed a small coconut tree, and some other plants, which he and his companions had benevolently endeavoured to naturalize here:  they seemed healthy enough, but I should fear the rank luxuriance of surrounding and indigenous vegetation will render the ultimate well-doing of the strangers exceedingly doubtful.  Assisted by our boats the whole party embarked in the early part of the afternoon, and appeared highly delighted to find themselves again on board the schooner.  I was much impressed with the emphatic manner in which Lieutenant Lushington bid the shore a hearty farewell.  The same evening the Lynher was moved round to Port George the Fourth—­thus affording us an opportunity of welcoming all our former fellow-voyagers once more on board the Beagle; where we spent one of those delightful evenings, known only to those who have been long separated from the rest of the world.

LEAVE PORT GEORGE THE FOURTH.

On the 9th we left Port George the Fourth on our return to Swan River, in company with the Lynher, in which Lieutenant Grey and his party had arranged to proceed to the Mauritius.  A finer port than this, in some respects, can hardly be imagined.  Like Hanover Bay, over which, however, it possesses the advantage of an easier access from the sea, it affords safe anchorage, abundance of fresh water, plenty of fuel, and a fine beach for the seine:  but the numerous islands and reefs which skirt this coast greatly reduce the value of both these harbours.  The Master of the Lynher told me of certain tidal phenomena remarked by him during his protracted visit to Hanover Bay:  he had noticed that the highest tides always occurred on the fourth day after the full or change of the moon, and that they then attained a maximum height of twenty-five feet; while during the neaps the difference between high and low-water sometimes did not exceed twenty-four inches!

During the short time that we were in this neighbourhood, the prevailing winds were from South-East and to East from after midnight till noon, and from West to North until midnight.  Our progress through the day was but slow; the wind light and most provokingly foul at West-North-West.

ISOLATED ROCK.

While standing towards a small island bearing North and by West five and a half miles from Point Adieu, we discovered a single rock with apparently deep water all around it, and just awash at low-water.  It bore North-West and by West three-quarters of a mile from this island, which resembles Red Island, and Captain King’s group of the Rocky Islands, in that calcined-like appearance which has by turns given them red and brown for a distinct appellation.  In the afternoon we saw the sandbank laid down in Captain King’s chart; it appeared a white rocky islet.  The night was spent beating to the westward, between it and Red Island, against a light breeze.