At Noon One Of The Investigator's Boats Went On Shore To The Beach Where The Natives And Their Canoes Were.* (* "There Were Seven Bark Canoes Lying On The Shore And Upon A Tree Near Hung Parts Of A Turtle And Scoop Nets Similar To Those At Hervey Bay." Flinders.)

"Friday, August 6th.

At 1 P.M. hove up and run further into the opening. I then went on shore to a small rocky island on which Captain Flinders was taking angles and we got some firewood. I went in Captain Flinders' boat across to a middling high hill* (* Called in the chart Hill View.) on the opposite side of this stream, got to the top and saw that the sheet of water ran into several serpentine branches and that apparently the deepest water was to the south-east of us; and that this south-east entrance and the one in which we lay formed a pretty large island lying in a north-west and south-east line. We joined the boat and sounded in a traverse to ascertain whether it was possible for the Lady Nelson to move higher up. We found however only from 3 to 5 feet of water and foul ground throughout a narrow space through which the vessel must pass. In consequence of which Captain Flinders desired me to get under weigh and work round the island to the south-east entrance and to find a channel into the harbour. Accordingly weighed, by 7 P.M. passed the Investigator. At daylight made all sail to gain the entrance and by 9 A.M. nearly fetched it, from the masthead at the time I saw a long range of breakers from the entrance stretching away south-east to east-south-east which made me to be in some doubts as to an entrance existing, however I sent Mr. Hacking in the boat to sound and almost immediately we struck on a sandbank. Immediately hove up our keels and she luckily veered round in 6 feet of water and went off although we still had no more water for some time, it then gradually deepened into 6 fathoms. Fired a gun for the boat who got on board by noon and informed me that a good channel did exist, and from where we were it lay about south-south-east and may be 3/4 of a mile broad - out sweep and sent the boat ahead to tow.

"Saturday, August 7th. Fine weather. Standing into the entrance south-south-west. On putting our helm to starboard we immediately had from 1 1/2 3, steering west-north-west, the Investigator on our beam bearing about north-north-east distant 8 miles, and finding our water suddenly to shoal came to in 2 fathoms and observed that a little way ahead lay a long sand sheet almost dry. Tripped our anchor and run into 5 fathoms water and there came to.* (* Off South-trees Point.) Fired a gun as a signal to the Commodore; observed a boat under sail a considerable distance from us in a westerly direction which I fancied was Captain Flinders in his whaleboat examining the harbour.

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