Fossil head.

A bluff projection, bearing South 65 degrees East seven miles, bounded our view to the southward, and a range of sugarloaf hills, the highest being 350 feet, rose about eight miles in the rear of it.

October 10.

We were naturally very anxious to proceed, and as soon as there was sufficient light to read the division of the bearing compass, the ship was gently stealing onward in the direction of the bluff, and furthest land seen last evening to the South-East.  We had not proceeded far before we discovered a distant level range, beginning to show itself to the right of this projection, adding still more to the zest with which we pursued our search.  The tide, however, making against us, and the wind gradually failing, we were compelled to anchor abreast, and distant three quarters of a mile from the north-west point of a bay two miles wide.

The bluff headland, before alluded to, forms the south-east point of this bay, and to which Captain Wickham and myself hastened instantly the ship was secured.

We found a few fossils on the side of this ridge, as we ascended, which at once induced us to name it, Fossil Head.  Our view was decisive of the fact, that all further progress eastward was at an end, but to the south sandbanks and patches of dark-coloured water bounding our view left still great hope.  The high land terminated abruptly to the southward, whilst looking to the northward it appeared to subside in an East-North-East direction.  The base of this range was fronted by a low piece of land, stretching out on its north-west side, and forming a point which bore South 35 degrees East five miles from Fossil Head.

Table hill.

But the most remarkable feature in the scene was an isolated flat-topped hill, having all the appearance of a bastion or fortress, rising abruptly from the surrounding plain, to an elevation of 650 feet, the upper part being a line of cliffs, greatly adds to the appearance it presents, that of a complete fortification.  It bore North 85 degrees East, fourteen miles from Fossil Head; and the country between was very low, and intersected by a creek about midway.  This remarkable piece of land is called in the chart Table Hill; an inlet trended in towards the foot of it.

We noticed several old traces of natives; the country in the neighbourhood was of a stony desolate character, yet appeared to afford nourishment for a small growth of white gums.  After examining two mangrove creeks of no importance, in the north-west corner of the bay fronting the ship, we returned.

Our hopes of finding a river of some magnitude were not in the least destroyed from what we had seen from Fossil Head, and the southerly direction of the flood-stream fostered our belief.  Independent of these signs, we felt that we were again entering upon a new part of the continent, and the thoughts thus engendered acted like a powerful stimulant, so that we were not easily cast down.