after making such remarks as circumstances might allow, to return not
later than the third evening.

THURSDAY 12 AUGUST 1802

Next afternoon, I went, accompanied by the naturalist, to examine the
eastern arm of the bay, which is divided into two branches. Pursuing the
easternmost and largest, with soundings from 6 to 3 fathoms, we came to
several mangrove islands, about four miles up, where the stream changed
its direction from S. S. E. to E. S. E., and the deepest water was 2
fathoms. A little further on we landed for the night, cutting a path
through the mangroves to a higher part of the northern shore; but the
swarms of musketoes and sand flies made sleeping impossible to all except
one of the boat's crew, who was so enviably constituted, that these
insects either did not attack him, or could not penetrate his skin. It
was high water here at nine o'clock; and the tide afterwards fell between
ten and twelve feet.

FRIDAY 13 AUGUST 1802

In the morning, I set Broad Mount in Keppel Bay at N. 61° 20' W. and
Mount Larcom S. 8° 20' E; and we then steered onward in six to eight feet
water, amongst various little islands of mud and mangroves; the whole
width of the stream being still more than half a mile, nearly the same as
at the entrance. Three miles above the sleeping place the water began to
increase in breadth, and was 2 fathoms deep; and advancing further, it
took a direction more southward, and to our very agreeable surprise,
brought us to the head of Port Curtis; forming thus a channel of
communication from Keppel Bay, and cutting off Cape Capricorn with a
piece of land twenty-five miles in length, from the continent.