Eastern River, found that there was no foundation for the report.  But having got so far away from the settlement, he ascended the river some little distance, and towards sunset came on a tribe of natives.  The anchor was let go, and signs were made to induce them to approach, for some time without success.  At last, however, encouraged by seeing so many of their own countrymen, two or three of the more courageous ventured to draw near.  The scene that followed was a curious illustration of the slight communication that exists between natives of different tribes, and also of the great difference in their language, as the strangers could hold no conversation with the people from Port Essington, who, when they found their own dialect was not understood, tried to explain themselves in such few words of broken English as were then used at the colony, and seemed very much surprised at their want of success.  A large mess of boiled rice, which had been prepared by way of a feast for the newcomers, was then produced; but it was not before they saw their countrymen eagerly devouring it that they could be induced to eat, as they evidently did not know what it was.  The result of Lieutenant Vallack’s visit is hostile to the idea entertained that clothes given to natives at Port Essington pass into the interior, which I always much doubted.  Had the fence before alluded to by me been run across the neck, and an out-station formed there, we should have had further acquaintance with the natives of the main, besides other advantages that would necessarily have accrued.

As it seemed extremely probable that the course of events would not again permit the Beagle to visit Port Essington, we naturally experienced some regret on our departure, and were led to speculate, with interest, on its future destiny.  A young settlement, so remote and solitary, cannot fail to awaken the liveliest sympathy in the voyager.  How small soever may be the circle of its present influence, the experience of the past teaches us confidently to expect that wherever a knot of Englishmen locate themselves, there are deposited the germs of future greatness.  For Port Essington, a sphere of action, of great extent and importance, appears marked out by the hand of nature; though, to a careless observer, unskilled in discerning the undeveloped capabilities of geographical positions, it may appear in the light simply of an isolated military post.  And, certainly, whatever may be its actual resources, little or nothing has, as yet, been done to ascertain them.  We are still reduced to base our opinions on conjecture and hypothesis; we know nothing of the amount of commerce that might be carried on with the islands of the Indian Archipelago—­nothing of the productions of the mainland—­nothing of the extent to which colonization might be carried in the neighbourhood.  Without data of this kind it is impossible, with any pretensions to accuracy, to estimate the probable future importance of our