In sounding the channel, I found that when the hill Captain Wickham and myself were first on, behind Entrance Isle, was in a line with the north end of the high land at the south side of the entrance, it formed a good lead up.  In consequence we named it Leading Hill, and the end of the range alluded to, Indian Hill, from our constantly seeing smoke near it.  A flat of three or four fathoms at low-water extended across the channel, with River Peak bearing between North 35 East and North 64 East.  I visited Indian Hill, but failed to meet with any of the natives, although I saw their fires not far off in the hills to the south-west.  It is a ridge covered with blocks of sandstone, with a few trees here and there.  From its summit I had an extensive view of the low land stretching away to the northward, and forming the western side of the channel.  It appeared so cut up with creeks as to form a mass of islands and mud flats, which appeared from the quantity of drift timber, to be frequently overflowed, and partially so apparently at high spring tides.  The farthest high land I saw bore west about twelve miles.

Memorial on Indian hill.

I left here a paper in a bottle, giving an account of our proceedings, and should have been sorry to think, as Wallis did when he left a similar document on a mountain in the Strait of Magellan, that I was leaving a memorial that would remain untouched as long as the world lasts.  No, I would fain hope that ere the sand of my life-glass has run out, other feet than mine will have trod these distant banks; that colonization will, ere many years have passed, have extended itself in this quarter; that cities and hamlets will have risen on the banks of the new-found river, that commerce will have directed her track thither, and that smoke may rise from Christian hearths where now alone the prowling heathen lights his fire.  There is an inevitable tendency in man to create; and there is nothing which he contemplates with so much complacency as the work of his own hands.  To civilize the world, to subdue the wilderness, is the proudest achievement to which he can look forward; and to share in this great work by opening new fields of enterprise, and leading, as it were, the van of civilisation, fills the heart with inexpressible delight.  It is natural, therefore, as I traced the record of our visit and deposited it on Indian Hill, that I should look forward in a mood very far different from that of Wallis, to the speedy fruition of my hopes.

October 27.

The winds for the last few days had been from West-North-West to North-West, light after midnight to near noon, then moderate and sometimes fresh.  The tides, as they approached the springs, increased their velocity, occasionally coming down in bores at the rate of four and five knots.

Return of captain Wickham.

Captain Wickham returned this morning, having discovered the river to be fresh about seventy miles above the ship.  For some distance it had not decreased in size, which was very delightful news.  I had been several times on the point of inquiring on this subject; but fearing an unfavourable reply, hesitated.  Now my hopes were at their highest pitch, and I was quite impatient to start on an expedition up the river.