The next morning at daybreak, when the land became visible, Captain Baudin's Cape Dombey was recognised, bearing South 83 degrees East. Between Capes Ford and Dombey the coast is higher than usual and thickly wooded to the verge of the cliffs, which preserve the same deep red colour with those more to the northward; under them a sandy beach uninterruptedly lines the coast. The bottom, at from three to five miles distance, is rather irregular, and varies in its depth between seven and a half and ten fathoms. An opening in the land is laid down near Cape Dombey in the French charts, before which are placed the Barthelemy Islands, which certainly do not exist, and it was not until after the haze of the day cleared up that two detached quadrilateral shaped hills were seen over the low land; and as these at a distance would assume exactly the figure and appearance of islands they must have been the cause of the mistake; I have therefore called them (by altering the nomenclature as little as possible) the Barthelemy Hills.
At nine o'clock, having weighed at daylight, we reached within three miles of Tree Point; when the ebb tide commenced and obliged our anchoring to wait the turn of tide, in order to examine an opening that trended deeply in to the southward. Accordingly when the flood made we got under weigh, and entered the opening without encountering any difficulties or being impeded by shoals. The deepest channel is about two-thirds over on the eastern side, in which we sounded on a muddy bottom in between nine and five fathoms; after having passed the narrowest part we hauled over to the western shore, in the hope of finding anchorage out of the strength of the tide, but it was with great difficulty, and not until darkness compelled us, that we let go the anchor, upon what appeared to be a hard stony bottom, in five fathoms.
The tide then turned to the ebb and commenced running out so rapidly that we were under apprehensions of the vessel being left dry.
September 6 to 7.
But at low water which took place at 1 hour 20 minutes a.m., although the tide had fallen twenty-two feet, it left nine feet, which depth was just sufficient to float the vessel. Upon stirring up the bottom with an oar, it was found to be of stiff clay, plentifully sprinkled with small iron-stone gravel; it proved however to be of much better quality than had been suspected, and the anchorage was retained during our stay.
As the bottom of this port had a river-like appearance, Mr. Roe prepared to examine it, and set out at daylight accompanied by Mr. Cunningham: they did not return until the following day.
From his report it appears that the shores are overrun with mangroves (rhizophoreae) and that the whole of the back lands are inundated at high water, which accounts for the very strong tides we experienced. The bottom of the port, which at Mr. Roe's desire was named in compliment to Vice Admiral Sir Richard G. Keats, G.C.B., is divided into two saltwater arms, extending towards the foot of a range of thickly-wooded hills, which were seen from the anchorage over the low mangrove shore, and which, from their description, are probably connected with the Barthelemy Hills. Their summit was named Mount Goodwin.
Our party put ashore at the only accessible landing place they found and walked a mile inland. The country was extremely low and sterile, and the soil composed of a tenacious clay in which small iron-stone gravel is thickly mixed; it appeared to be of the same nature as the bottom on which we were anchored; and to have been lately covered with grass, recently burnt; and here and there, among other plants, Mr. Cunningham found a stunted eucalyptus (eudesmia?) about six feet high.
The usual traces of natives were noticed; especially in one part where the mark of a foot had been impressed since the last high water. Large fires were burning three or four miles off but no human beings were seen. As our gentlemen proceeded up the river a large flight of bats flew over the boat. Very few birds were observed but a cry like that of the Ardea antigone was heard; Mr. Roe killed a small snake about two feet long.
Upon this excursion no fresh water was found except a few small drainings; but in this we were not disappointed for the character of the country did not favour the idea or inspire us with any hopes of finding a stream of sufficient consequence to be rendered useful for our purpose. During the absence of the boat several necessary things were done on board the ship which it was not possible to effect under weigh. On opening some of the dry casks their contents were found to have suffered much from weevil and rats: the latter had also made great havoc on our spare sails; and, what was of greater importance and made me very anxious for the consequences, they had gnawed holes in almost every water-cask that remained full; so that we were not certain for a moment of our stock of that article, of which we had no chance of procuring a supply on this dreary coast.