At daylight made preparations for starting.  I took the five-oared whaleboat, and the second officer, accompanied by Captain Elliott, went in the small boat, both well armed and manned.  At half-past six A.M. we left and ran before a strong breeze from the South-East, and stood in for the entrance of Escape River.  At half-past seven hauled in round the south head (Point Shadwell):  in crossing the bar, least water three fathoms, the tide being about first quarter spring flood.

After entering the river perceived a bay, with small sandy beaches, one of which Jackey pointed out as the place where Mr. Kennedy first met the hostile natives; from this place we observed some of them launching a canoe for the purpose of speaking us, but as we could not afford to lose either the time or the tide I deferred communicating with them until our return.  After steering west about five or six miles, the river began gradually to wind to the northward, and afterwards South-South-East; the river six or seven miles from the entrance was upwards of a mile in width, both banks were covered by a dense impenetrable mangrove swamp; after the river trended to the southward we had to lower our sail and pull; after pulling some four or five miles the river became gradually narrower.  I observed several branches of it trending to the northward and westward; we remained on the southernmost branch, the principal one; as we proceeded on the left hand side of the river we came to a clear place free of mangroves, the only one we had seen; here we landed, and Jackey pointed it out as the place where Mr. Kennedy had come down on the morning of the day when he was killed; it was here Jackey advised him to abandon the horses and swim the river, about thirty yards wide.  Jackey pointed out the tree where he made the horses fast whilst they went down to the river and searched in vain for oysters, they having had nothing to eat all that day.

We again proceeded, the river becoming gradually narrower as we advanced, and the water perfectly fresh.  After going about two or three miles, the river became so narrow that our oars could not be used.  We were compelled to haul the boats along, against a strong stream, by the overhanging branches of the trees, frequently coming across fallen trees, over which we had to launch our boats, running the risk of staving them; and again obliged to force them under others.  A better spot could not have been selected by the natives for cutting us off, had they been so disposed—­a narrow creek, and a dense scrub on either side.  We still proceeded till the boats could get no further.  We had traced the Escape River to its source—­a small freshwater creek.  As we advanced the belt of mangroves became thinner.  We landed on a clear place, on the right of the creek.  We went a short distance inland; saw an extensive plain, with numerous large ant-hills on it, which Jackey knew as the place he had crossed the day Mr. Kennedy was killed.  Jackey went a short distance further to reconnoitre, and presently returned, having perfectly satisfied himself as to our locality.