June 30.

In the afternoon we left the anchorage we had been the first to occupy, and standing out of the bay, were much struck by the rugged outline Cape Upstart presents.  The huge boulders scattered over the crest of the hills, give it the appearance of a vast mass of ruins, the clear atmosphere bringing it out in bold relief against the sky.  We stood over North-West for the opposite shore, and closing to within three miles of the land changed our course and ran along the singular low point forming the coastline to the North-West of Cape Upstart; and by 9 P.M. rounded its northern extreme called Cape Bowling Green, at a distance of six miles, in 17 fathoms, steering then to pass about four miles outside the Palm Isles.  During the whole night our soundings only varied from 17 to 19 fathoms.

MAGNETICAL ISLAND.

The weather was gloomy with passing showers of rain and a moderate South-South-East breeze; but all was bright again by daylight (July 1st) when Magnetical Island bore South 9 degrees West, and the south and largest of the Palm Isles North 81 degrees West, which, corresponding with the log, showed there had been no current during the night.  Magnetical Island was so named by Cook, because he fancied it affected the Endeavour’s compass in passing it.  There is good anchorage on the west side, where it is densely covered with trees, amidst which a few straggling pines reared their lofty and angular-shaped heads, giving by their variety a picturesque appearance to the scene.* We passed the Palm Islands early in the forenoon.  The largest we found to be 750 feet high, with a remarkable white rock off its South-East extreme.

(Footnote.  See the view annexed.)

THE CORDILLERA.

Behind these isles we saw numerous blue streaks of smoke from the fires of the natives, indicating the state of population on the slope of that lofty range of hills, which may be called the Cordillera of Eastern Australia, and which at this point, tower to a great height, overlooking the coast.* We were abreast about noon of its most remarkable feature, Mount Hinchinbrook, in latitude 18 degrees 22 minutes South, rising to the height, according to our observations, of 3500 feet.

(Footnote.  The proximity of this high land to the coast, may account for the gloomy weather of the previous night.)

Although a number of fires being once seen is not always a sign in Australia of a densely populated part of the country, yet when they are constantly visible, as in this part of the continent, it is fair to infer, that the inhabitants are numerous, and the soil fertile.  I might further remark, that Captain King found the natives well disposed; and at Goold Island, in this neighbourhood, they even came on board his vessel uninvited, an evidence of friendship and confidence, rarely characterizing a race of beings so wary as are generally the inhabitants of Australia.