On one occasion a party thought they heard a cooey—­or cry peculiar to the natives of Port Jackson—­uttered by some of the aborigines in the distance.  It would have been exceedingly interesting to ascertain if this actually was the case; as the sound generally emitted by the natives of the northern coasts when they wish to communicate with each other afar off, is the monotonous “oh! oh!”

MR. FORSYTH’S REPORT.

On the 13th the boats returned, having completed the work that had been allotted them.  Mr. Forsyth reported their proceedings as follows:  Leaving the north point of Bentinck Island, off which a reef extends nearly three miles, they crossed over to the south end of Mornington Island, bearing North 60 degrees West twenty-three miles, the depth, midway between being 7 and 8 fathoms.  The south shore of this island was found to be low and sandy, much indented, and fronted with reefs.  From the south extreme, the nearest part of the main, called Point Bayley, bore South 32 degrees West eleven miles, the intervening space being occupied by four low isles, which I named after Mr. Forsyth.  With the exception of 5 fathoms two miles south-west from the end of Mornington Island, the space between it and the main is only navigable for boats; and westward of Forsyth Islands, shoals, partly dry, extend off four miles from the main.

POINT PARKER.

From Point Bayley,* where we found a native well, the coast trended on one hand North 73 degrees West, in which direction, at the distance of two and four miles, were small openings in the low mangrove shore; whilst, on the other, it trended South 53 degrees East with inlets two, three, and six miles distant, and a point ten miles and a half from Point Bayley, which was named after the officer in charge of one of the boats, Point Parker.  A hillock elevated about thirty feet, which was great for this part of the continent, rendered it conspicuous.  Like Point Bayley, it is fronted with a rocky ledge, and has a sandy beach on the south side.  From Point Parker the coast trended south ten miles, which was the furthest the boats reached; beyond, it appeared to take a more easterly direction.

(Footnote.  In latitude 16 degrees 35 minutes 10 seconds South, and longitude 6 degrees 55 minutes 30 seconds East of Port Essington. )

The hillock on Point Parker, afforded Mr. Forsyth a slight view of the interior:  it was a vast plain with clumps of small trees interspersed here and there; a growth of gums rose close behind the fringe of mangroves that lined the coast to the southward, and in other places constituted the only vegetable production of the country that could be seen.  Although there was little that could be called actually interesting in the vast level that stretched away to an indefinite distance from Point Parker, yet still, when the reflection presented itself that never before had the eye of a European wandered over it, the feelings of the exploring party were necessarily of a pleasing character.