imbedded in quartz. The point was called in consequence, Talc Head.

PORT DARWIN.

The other rocks near it were of a fine-grained sandstone: a new feature
in the geology of this part of the continent, which afforded us an
appropriate opportunity of convincing an old shipmate and friend, that he
still lived in our memory; and we accordingly named this sheet of water
Port Darwin. A few small bamboos grew on this head; the other trees were
chiefly white gums. I climbed to the top of one of them, and obtained
thence a view of another opening in the eastern part of the harbour. It
now being low-water, an extensive shoal was discovered, reaching from
abreast of Talc Head to the point separating the South-East and
South-West openings, an extent of nearly five miles. This somewhat
diminished the value of our discovery, as it limited the capabilities of
the bay as a harbour.

We now proceeded to explore the north-eastern and largest opening,
distant six miles from our station. A large islet and a reef left the
entrance only a mile wide. Expanding again, it formed two arms, one
running south, the other East-South-East, between small groups of
singular isolated haycock-shaped hills, about 250 feet high. Following
the latter, being the largest, we found that it soon curved round, taking
a southerly direction. A bank free from mangroves occurring in this bend,
we availed ourselves of it, as the day was closing in, to secure some
early stars for latitude and longitude. The intense pleasure afforded by
traversing water that had never before been divided by any keel, in some
measure compensated us for the annoyance from the mosquitoes and
sandflies, that took the opportunity of assailing us while in the
defenceless state of quiet necessary in making observations. Pushing out