Pursuing our voyage, about noon, a party of natives were observed on the beach, and Capt.  Owen determined on paying them a visit, ordering a boat to be lowered for the purpose.  Unfortunately, however, it being necessary, while in the act of lowering, to make a few retrograde strokes of the paddle, the boat was drawn into the vortex on the right hand, and nearly cut in two.  By this accident, one of the seamen who were in it, was thrown within the paddle, but, miraculously, taken out unhurt; another made his escape on board the vessel; while two more were set adrift in the sea; they were, however, soon picked up by a second boat, which was instantly lowered, and which also succeeded in recovering the wreck of the first.  On approaching the shore, the surf was found to be so strong, that Captain Owen was obliged to communicate with the natives from the boat.

A few yams were purchased for some pieces of iron-hoop, which the natives were so eager to become possessed of, that, daring the exchange, they trembled exceedingly from the intensity of their desire.  A piece was intentionally thrown into the sea, with the view of giving them a scramble:  they all immediately darted with the utmost eagerness into the water, and exerted themselves most strenuously, until one had the luck to find it; when the remainder left him in quiet possession, without evincing the slightest disposition to deprive him of his treasure.

A small island lay off the shore of this place, which Capt.  Owen did not consider of sufficient importance to induce him to give it a name.  We now continued our survey along the south-eastern side of the island, advancing at the rate of six or seven miles an hour, until half-past five in the evening, when we arrived a-breast of the south-eastern point (Cape Barrow):  we then took our bearings, let the steam down, and stood off the land, under easy sail, for the night.

Wednesday, Dec. 12.—­An hour after midnight we tacked, and stood towards the land; at daylight, got the steam on, and furled the sails, and at eight in the morning we were off the same point at which our survey of the previous evening had concluded, the current having, during the night, carried us to the south-west, at the rate of about a mile and a half per hour.  The part of the island we were now coasting along, was possessed of a very considerable degree of sublimity, the shore being bold and rocky, with various picturesque cataracts descending from the mountains; and the whole face of the country having a wild appearance.  During the forenoon, we had two high peaks in view, one of which Captain Owen named after Dr. Burn, the surgeon of the Eden, who first observed it.  About half-past ten, we passed a snug little cove, where the natives were occupied in building canoes, and where we observed a considerable quantity of wood piled up, intended for making paddles.  Soon afterwards, we passed the entrance of a river, which, out of compliment to myself, Captain Owen named Holman River.  A remarkably large stone lay on the beach near its mouth.  At noon, we were off a bluff cape, which received the name of Cape Eden.  At this time our previously fine weather disappeared, and we had, throughout the remainder of the day, a very hazy atmosphere, with occasional rain.