King, lying about twelve miles further to the westward, whilst the other
boats explored the openings at the head of the harbour.

That on the eastern part, Mr. Fitzmaurice traced ten miles in a
south-easterly direction, being the greatest distance it was navigable
for a boat. The remaining branch in the large opening, in the
south-eastern corner of the harbour, Mr. Forsyth and myself explored
South-South-East three miles, and South-South-West five more, the extent
to which it was possible to advance. Beyond, it was strewed with large
blocks of granite; a fact, for which we were in some degree prepared, as
in the vicinity of the Adelaide River we had proof of the primary
formation of this part of the continent. As the boat lay scarcely afloat
between two of these lumps of rock, numbers of white ibises, with black
necks, kept flying over us from the southward, indicating that a swamp
lay in that direction. We also disturbed several alligators, who slid off
quietly into the water at our approach. There was no variety in the
shores of this inlet, composed like all the others, of an impenetrable
network of mangroves. A ridge of the same conical-shaped low hills before
alluded to, as existing in this neighbourhood, rose upon our right as we
came up, and bore from our furthest North by West two miles; from the
highest part up the inlet in the south-west corner, east two miles.

The latter we found very tortuous, extending in a general direction south
nine miles. No events occurred worthy of any remark during our
examination, except one of a trifling character: the mosquitoes taking
advantage of the calm, between the high mangroves on the banks, attacked
us most cruelly, a circumstance we mention as trifling, as far as the
reader is concerned, but of great moment to us.

After completing the survey of the southern and western portion of this