As the morning dawned, we saw that the natives had thrown an out-post of sixteen men across the channel, who were watching our motions; but none showed themselves on the hills behind us, or on any part of the south shore.  We embarked as soon as we had breakfasted, A fresh breeze was blowing from the N.E. which took us rapidly down the channel, and our prospects appeared to be as cheering as the day, for just as we were about to push from the shore, a seal rose close to the boat, which we all regarded as a favourable omen.  We were, however, shortly stopped by shoals; it was in vain that we beat across the channel from one side to the other; it was a continued shoal, and the deepest water appeared to be under the left bank.  The tide, however, had fallen, and exposed broad flats, over which it was hopeless, under existing circumstances, to haul the boat.  We again landed on the south side of the channel, patiently to await the high water.

M’Leay, myself, and Fraser, ascended the hills, and went to the opposite side to ascertain the course of the channel, for immediately above us it turned south round the hills.  We there found that we were on a narrow tongue of land.  The channel was immediately below us, and continued to the E.S.E. as far as we could trace it.  The hills we were upon, were the sandy hills that always bound a coast that is low, and were covered with banksias, casuarina and the grass-tree.

To the south of the channel there was a flat, backed by a range of sand-hummocks, that were covered with low shrubs; and beyond them the sea was distinctly visible.  We could not have been more than two and a half miles from the beach where we stood.

Notwithstanding the sandy nature of the soil, the fossil formation again showed itself, not only on these hills, but also on the rocks that were in the channel.

A little before high water we again embarked.  A seal had been observed playing about, and we augured well from such an omen.  The blacks had been watching us from the opposite shore, and as soon as we moved, rose to keep abreast of us.  With all our efforts we could not avoid the shoals.  We walked up to our knees in mud and water, to find the least variation in the depth of the water so as to facilitate our exertions, but it was to no purpose.  We were ultimately obliged to drag the boat over the flats; there were some of them a quarter of a mile in breadth, knee-deep in mud; but at length got her into deep water again.  The turn of the channel was now before us, and we had a good run for about four or five miles.  We had completed the bend, and the channel now stretched to the E.S.E.  At about nine miles from us there was a bright sand-hill visible, near which the channel seemed to turn again to the south; and I doubted not that it terminated there.  It was to no purpose, however, that we tried to gain it.  Shoals again closed in upon us on every side.  We dragged the boat over several, and at last got amongst quicksands.  I, therefore, directed our efforts to hauling the boat over to the south side of the channel, as that on which we could most satisfactorily ascertain our position.  After great labour we succeeded, and, as evening had closed in, lost no time in pitching the tents.