charmingly with the bright verdure of the banks that seemed to repose on
the silent waters, and were reflected on its glassy surface, now and then
disturbed by the birds as they winged their way from one part to the
other. Spoonbills and ibises, some white and some glossy rifle-green, and
two kinds of a small grey duck, seen once only before on the Victoria,
are among those worth enumerating. In the afternoon we got back to the
boats. I may here mention, that as in Van Diemen's Inlet, the water
appeared to be less salt at low tide.

RETURN TO THE SHIP.

July 26.

At daylight the boats moved off on their return; and soon after the sun's
bright orb had sunk into the same vast dead level from which it rose, we
reached the entrance. Being anxious that the surgeon should see Mr.
Gore's hand, I sent the gig on with him to the ship; next morning, as we
crossed the bar, he rejoined us, and I was very happy to find the
ablution in brandy had been of great service to his wound.

After leaving Disaster Inlet, the coast was examined to the eastward, and
at the distance of fifteen miles, in an East 5 degrees South direction,
we came to a projection that we called Middle Point. The shore between
fell back, forming a bight three miles deep, in latitude 17 degrees 44
minutes South, the most southern shore of the Gulf. A growth of mangroves
prevented our landing at high-water, and at low, soft mud flat fronted
the shore for the distance of a mile and more. Five miles from Disaster
Inlet there was a small creek; with others, three, four, and six miles
westward of Middle Point.