(Footnote.  The seabreeze prevailing from the westward through Clarence Strait, the passage to Port Essington from the westward, during the easterly monsoon, might be more easily made by passing through it, instead of working along the north side of Melville Island.)

The mouth of a considerable inlet came in sight at the head of a bay as we advanced towards it, steering South by East.  This opening began to appear of consequence as we drew near, although the singularly gradual decrease in the soundings, on a sandy bottom materially diminished the probability of its being the mouth of a river.  Still, when we anchored as near as we could approach, there remained a hope of its being so.

Hope inlet.  Shoal bay.

September 8.

Early in the morning Mr. Forsyth and myself started to explore the opening.  We soon discovered that it was nothing more than a shallow creek at low-water.  The tide here rising twenty feet, gave it the important appearance it had yesterday evening.  A tall clump of naked trees was conspicuous at the east entrance point, towering above the insipid mangrove shore.  We gave it the name of Hope Inlet, to commemorate the feelings it excited on its first discovery.  From the south point of Clarence Strait it is distant eleven miles, and the bay in which it lies, from the shallow-water at the head of it, was called Shoal Bay.

The boat being provisioned for four days, we pushed on to explore another opening above fifteen miles to the westward.  The seabreeze setting in early, we did not reach it till after dark, when we landed for observations at a cliffy projection near the eastern entrance point:  this we found to be composed of a kind of pipeclay, mixed with calcareous matter.  We had some difficulty in landing, and then in scrambling up the cliffs by the light of a lantern.  If any of the watchful natives happened at the time to be on the lookout, they must have stood fixed with astonishment at beholding such strange persons, who at such a time of night, with no ostensible object were visiting their shores.

Explore A new opening.

September 9.

Before the veil of darkness was quite removed, we could faintly distinguish the mouth of the opening; and the sight at daylight was most cheering.  A wide bay appearing between two white cliffy heads, and stretching away within to a great distance, presented itself to our view.  Far to the southward, between the heads, rose a small table-topped hill.  As we pulled in towards the eastern entrance point, the river-like appearance began to wear off, more land making its appearance towards the head of the opening.  On reaching this point Mr. Forsyth and myself climbed up the cliff, whilst the breakfast was cooking.  From the summit we had a good view of the bay, and were delighted to find large openings in the south-east and south-west corners of it.  The table hill before mentioned, stood on the point between them.  To see the eastern part of it, however, it was necessary to cross to the opposite point, where some talc slate, pieces of which measured four inches in length, was found imbedded in quartz.  The point was called in consequence, Talc Head.