MOUNT FLINDERS.

Near the landing-place, at the foot of Mount Flinders, were a few
isolated gum-trees, and small clusters of the casuarina, which were the
only trees on the northern island. Some drift timber was on the
south-east and north-west sides. On the latter was a tree of considerable
size, doubtless brought from the shore of the Gulf by the North-West
monsoon. Its whole surface was covered with a long brown kind of grass,
interwoven with creepers. There were great quantities of a
cinnamon-coloured bittern seen, as well as quails, doves, and large
plovers, but not any of the bustards mentioned by Flinders. We saw no
traces of land animals of any kind; neither did we of the natives. A
flock of screaming white cockatoos had taken up their abode on the south
island, where also some bulbs of the Angustifolia were found. A few small
fish, besides sharks, were caught alongside the ship.

I was surprised to find the tides an hour later than at Van Diemen's
Inlet; their velocity, likewise, was increased to two knots; the
flood-stream came from the north-east at the anchorage.

FOWLER ISLAND.

July 7.

At daylight, we left for Sweers Island; but owing to light winds, chiefly
easterly, did not reach Investigator Road, between Sweers and Bentinck
Islands, before the afternoon of the 8th. The soundings on the way were
generally 9 fathoms, fine sandy mud. A small islet, lying off the
South-East side of Bentinck Island, and forming the immediate eastern