Waited on Captain Flinders who told me he
shortly intended to weigh in order to proceed to Thirsty Sound and at 10
A.M. weighed in company with the Investigator.
Since our arrival here on
Thursday the 26th August few native fires have been seen and only once
some of the Investigator's gentlemen had intercourse with a party of
natives on the shore. From their report those natives are inferior to the
natives of Keppel Bay...and if we may guess from their lean appearance
much worse off with respect to food; the soil of all this part of the
country appears to be very indifferent and for a considerable distance
from shore, low swampy mangrove clay. All round the bay are high hills,
on one of the westernmost tall pines seem in abundance, the bottom is
invariably blue clay...From the number of shoals lying in this place it
is necessary to keep the lead constantly going, and from the great rise
and fall of the tide to be careful not to anchor in less than 5
fathoms...we have experienced some sea riding at anchor the fetch being
pretty extensive.
"Sunday, September 5th. Standing through Northumberland Islands towards
Thirsty Sound.* (* Thirsty Sound, Hervey and Bustard Bays among other
places on the coast were named by Captain Cook.) At dusk the entrance of
Thirsty Sound west by south distance 3 miles, Sugar Loaf Hill, or hill of
Pines,* (* The Pine Mount of Flinders.) south-east by east and the
Investigator east-north-east distant three-quarters of a mile.
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