Before proceeding any higher with the ship, I wished to gain some
knowledge of the form and extent of this great piece of water; and
Arthur's seat being more than a thousand feet high and near the water
side, presented a favourable station for the purpose. After breakfast I
went away in a boat, accompanied by Mr. Brown and some other gentlemen,
for the Seat. I ascended the hill and to my surprise found the Port so
extensive, that even at this elevation its boundary to the northward
could not be distinguished. The western shore extended from the entrance
ten or eleven miles in a northern direction, to the extremity of what
from its appearance I called Indented Head; beyond it was a wide branch
of the port leading to the westward, and I suspected might have a
communication with the sea; for it was almost incredible that such a
vast piece of water should not have a larger outlet than that through
which we had come.

Another considerable piece of water was seen, at the distance of three
or four leagues; as it appeared to have a communication with the sea to
the south, I had no doubt of its being Mr. Bass' Western Port.

_Saturday, May 1st._ At day-dawn I set off with three of the boat's
crew, for the highest part of the back hills called Station Peak. One or
two miles before arriving at the feet of the hills, we entered a wood
where an emu and a kangaroo were seen at a distance; and the top of the
Peak was reached at ten o'clock. I saw the water of the Port as far as
N.75 E., so that the whole extent of the Port, north and south, is at
least thirty miles.

I left the ship's name on a scroll of paper, deposited in a small pile
of stones upon the top of the peak; and at three in the afternoon,