From the ship to the inner part of Cape Clinton the soundings were from 5 to 8 fathoms, on a sandy bottom; but close to the innermost point there was no ground at 10 fathoms.  From thence I steered up the western arm, passing to the south of a central rock lying a mile out; and got with difficulty to the projection named West-water Head.  The arm terminated a little further on; but to the northward, over the land, I saw a long shallow bay at the back of Island Head, and beyond it was the sea.  This western arm being full of sandy shoals, and of no utility, if at all accessible to ships, I observed the latitude and took angles, and then returned to the inner part of Cape Clinton.  In rowing to the southward, close along the inside of the cape, we had from 3 to 9 fathoms water; but it was too late in the evening to make an examination of the southern arm, and I therefore ascended a hill near the shore, to inspect it.  This was called East-water Hill, and I saw from its top, that the southern arm extended S. 16 deg.  W. about seven miles, to the foot of the hills behind Cape Manifold, where it terminated in shallows and mangroves.  Close under Eastwater Hill there was a small branch running eastward, nearly insulating Cape Clinton; but neither this branch nor the main arm seemed to be deep enough to admit a ship much higher than the cape; and in consequence, I gave up the further examination, and returned on board at seven o’clock.

Amongst the useful bearings for the survey, taken at Eastwater Hill, were the following: 

Entrance Island, centre, N. 9 deg. 45’ E.
Peaked Islet in the offing, S. 58 45 E.
Cape Manifold, east end of the island, S. 29 40 E.
Cape Manifold, highest of the two peaks, S. 3 20 W.

By means of this last bearing, the longitude of Port Bowen was connected with Keppel Bay and Port Curtis, independently of the time keepers.

A fresh wind from the south-eastward had blown all day, and raised so much surf on the north side of the port, that our watering there was much impeded; a midshipman and party of men remained on shore with casks all night, and it was not until next evening [MONDAY 23 AUGUST 1802] that the holds were completed and pine logs got on board.  The water was very good; it drained down the gully to a little beach between two projecting beads which have rocky islets lying off them.  The gully is on the west side of the northern entrance, and will easily be known, since we sent there on first coming to an anchor, in the expectation of finding water, but Mr. Westall’s sketch will obviate any difficulty (Atlas, Plate XVIII.  View 9).

There were pine trees in the watering gully and on the neighbouring hills; but the best, and also the most convenient, were those upon Entrance Island, some of them being fit to make top masts for ships.  The branches are very brittle; but the carpenter thought the trunks to be tough, and superior to the Norway pine, both for spars and planks:  turpentine exudes from between the wood and the bark, in considerable quantities.