(Footnote.  This road fully deserves the name of a good port, being four miles in length by one in breadth, with a depth of from 4 to 6 fathoms, and sheltered at all points except from south to South-South-East, in which direction the shoalness of the water prevents any sea from getting up.)

SURVEY THE ANCHORAGE.

On duly weighing these considerations in my mind I determined to make an accurate survey of this anchorage, including Sweers and the eastern portion of Bentinck Island; and to despatch two boats to examine the group of islands to the north-west, and the mainland from thence to abreast of the south-west end of Bentinck Island.  On the morning of the 9th, accordingly, Messrs. Forsyth and Parker proceeded with the whaleboats on this service.

Near Point Inscription, I found a native skull on the shore, with forearm, left tibia, and a portion of the inferior maxillary.  They must have been exposed some time, as they were very nearly destroyed by the action of the air.  How they could have come in this situation was a mystery, as there was nothing indicating a place of burial.

On the eastern Point of Bentinck Island a number of rafts were seen, which suggested the name of Raft Point.  We also on one occasion perceived some natives at a distance.

Mount Inspection being the highest land in the neighbourhood, became the principal station of the survey.  From it a glimpse was got of the mainland, bearing South 17 degrees West about eighteen miles.  The north-eastern end of the island, also, could be seen, fronted with rocky ledges extending three quarters of a mile off.  This hill is a mass of calcareous rock, similar to the high parts of Bountiful Island, with the same honeycombed surface, as if it had been exposed to the action of the sea.  In other parts of the island there is a great quantity of ironstone; and the cliffs on the eastern side are mixed with this and pipe-clay; on the northern extreme are some lakes or swamps.

SOIL, ETC.  OF BENTINCK ISLAND.

The soil is chiefly a mixture of sand and decomposed vegetable matter; but it cannot boast of fertility.  The wood on the island, which consisted for the most part of gums, wattles, a few acacias, palms, and, near the beach, a straggling casuarina or two, bespoke this by its stunted appearance; but as cotton grows well at Port Essington, there can be little doubt that it will thrive here.  Several of the bustards spoken of by Flinders, were noticed; but too wary to be killed.  They were as large as those seen in the neighbourhood of Port Phillip, but much browner.  The other birds, most common, will be found in an extract from the game book, given in a future page.  We saw no animals, except some large iguanas.

Investigator Road is sheltered to the northward by shoal water stretching across between Sweers and Bentinck islands.  The latter is slightly elevated, and thickly wooded; it is large in comparison with its neighbours, being about ten miles in extent either way.  Its south side is much indented, and the projections as well as the extreme of Fowler Island, are lined with mangroves; they are fronted with coral ledges.  Near the south-east point, I noticed large patches of the ferruginous sort of gravel, before alluded to in King’s Sound.