South-South-East.  We gazed with indescribable delight upon the wide expanse of open water which lay before us in that direction, and already anticipated the discovery of some vast inlet, terminating in the mouth of a magnificent river, upon the exploration of which our imagination was already busily engaged; nor for the moment did the thought, or rather the recollection of the fact, that Captain King had seen land (by refraction) in that quarter, serve to damp our ardour.  When it made its way, and perseveringly insisted upon engaging a certain share of my attention, its presence only added an additional motive to my previous determination to set the question at rest by personal examination, and in the interim, to look immediately before sunrise (when the atmosphere within the tropics is always clear) for the very sight I should have been most disappointed to have beheld.  During the afternoon I shot over the island, and enjoyed some very fair sport; especially with the pheasant-cuckoo,** and quail, large and small, which were numerous:  several birds not unlike the so-called crow of the Swan River colonists were seen.  We found no fresh water, but in addition to the abundance of game, the presence of the natives, proves the island to be not wholly destitute of this first requisite of life.  The thermometer at 3 P.M., was 100 degrees in the shade, while the unnatural calm that reigned around gave the experienced seaman plain warning of some disturbance at hand.

(Footnote.  This esculent appeared to resemble the warran, or yam, used for food by the native inhabitants north of Swan River.)

(**Footnote.  Centropus phasianellus.  Gould.)

A HEAVY SQUALL.

Just before sunset these anxious anticipations proved correct:  a mass of broad edged white clouds rose rapidly in the east, and spread over the till then unbroken blue of the vast vault above; among or rather behind the interstices of these clouds, the lightning quivered and flashed fearfully and fitfully, gleaming with a terrible distinctness in the fading light of expiring day!  Anon, darker and more ominous clouds succeeded to the first, and quickly uniting seemed to span all heaven with a frowning arch, that came rapidly onwards upon the wings of the now-rising tempest.  It was some time ere its approach either attracted the attention or disturbed the boisterous mirth of the boats’ crews, who, with the enviable philosophy of their class, were gaily laughing over the incidents of the day.  I had just secured a good latitude by Canopus, when the squall burst upon us from East-South-East, it blew very hard indeed for about an hour, veering round to, and terminating at, North-East, and then all was calm again; partaking of the general characteristics of previous visitations of the same kind, to which we have been subject since our arrival upon this coast, it lasted for a much less time, as hitherto their average duration had been about three hours.  It