March 19.

The wind still blew pretty fresh from the southward; we however had no surf to impede us and therefore got under weigh soon after dawn.  The men pulled away cheerfully and, although this was very hard work on account of the headwind and sea, we experienced no great difficulty until we had rounded Point Whitmore, at the north of Babbage Island, where we all at once found ourselves in broken water, so very shoal that between each breaker the boat was bumped with great violence against the bottom, and must have been very soon stove in had we not speedily got into deeper soundings.

ANCHOR IN SOUTHERN ENTRANCE OF THE RIVER.

About 2 P.M. we neared the southern mouth of the Gascoyne, pulled two miles up it, and anchored about a mile and a half to the south of our former position.  The men, although it was very warm and they had been pulling hard all day, had as yet only had about a wine-glass full of water each, I therefore lost no time in sending off a watering party; and the remainder of us collected samphire which grew abundantly hereabouts and forms a fair article of food for hungry men.

The remainder of the evening was occupied in completing our water and in endeavouring to get a shot at some pelicans, but although numerous they were too wary, and my feet were covered with such dreadful sores from bad diet and being constantly in the salt water that I could not walk to any great distance in search of game.

COMPLETE OUR WATER.

The completion of our supply of water was a very great matter and, as we had now got so far to the southward as to make our fetching the northern extremity of Bernier Island almost a matter of certainty, however strongly it might blow, I determined to effect the passage the next day.  Indeed I could not have delayed it for our provisions, bad as they were, were almost exhausted, and the men were already much reduced from the scarcity and bad quality of their food.

CHAPTER 17.  FROM THE GASCOYNE TO GANTHEAUME BAY.

SAIL FROM THE GASCOYNE.

March 20.

When we pulled out of the Gascoyne this morning the first streak of dawn had not lit up the eastern horizon, we however managed by creeping along the southern shore to get out to sea, and there anchored until it was light enough to see the compass.  I found a very heavy sea running outside and a strong breeze blowing from the southward; at this time however there was nothing which in my opinion rendered it too hazardous to risk the passage, more especially being pressed as we were by the want of food.  The distance across to Bernier Island from the point of the main where we were was about ten miles further than it is from Dover to Calais.  Our boats were in very bad repair, and the landing on the other side was by no means good.  I therefore certainly would not have ventured to make the passage in a gale of wind; but the weather did not seem threatening and it had been for many successive days blowing as hard as it was when we started.