But it was the next morning before we succeeded in fetching into the opening. It terminates in an inlet which probably runs some little distance into the interior of the island. It is about five miles deep, but the depth is so trifling that we were prevented from running into it far enough to obtain shelter from the wind. In the evening we anchored in a picturesque bay which, although open to the north, offers a tolerable shelter during the easterly monsoon: the beach is sandy, but is probably shoal and of rocky approach. The country appeared verdant, and the hills are thickly wooded; at the bottom of the bay a shoal opening trends in between two hills, over which, in the evening, seven natives were observed to cross in a canoe. This was called Lethbridge Bay. On the western side of the bay is a range of cliff like the pipe-clay cliff of Goulburn Island, the upper half being red, and the lower half white; and four miles off the west point of the bay are two patches of rocks on which the sea breaks; these were called the Madford Shoals.
May 15.
Twenty-five miles west from Lethbridge Bay is a projecting point from which the coast takes a north-westerly direction. In passing a breaker that lies off the point our cook fell overboard, but the boat was quickly lowered and picked him up; for some time his life was despaired of, but a little attention, and the warmth of the sun's heat, at last restored him.
On each side of the point which is formed behind Karslake Island is a bay; and at the bottom of each there appeared to be a shoal opening. The coast is here higher than usual, and is thickly wooded; but the coastline to the northward is formed of high cliffs without much wood, and of a remarkable white colour.
May 16.
The next morning we passed round Cape Van Diemen; and in the evening anchored off a tabular-shaped hill that formed the south end of a sandy bay. It was dark when we anchored.
May 17.
The next morning we found that we had anchored in the mouth of a very considerable river-like opening, the size of which inspired us with the flattering hope of having made an important discovery, for as yet we had no idea of the insularity of Melville Island.
The table-shaped hill near our anchorage was named Luxmore Head, and the bay to the north was called St. Asaph's, in compliment to the Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of that diocese.
The day being Sunday our intention was, after taking bearings from the summit of Luxmore Head, to delay our further proceeding until the next morning, but the circumstance that occurred kept us so much on the alert that it was anything but a day of rest. Having landed at the foot of the hill we ascended its summit, but found it so thickly wooded as to deprive us of the view we had anticipated; but, as there were some openings in the trees through which a few distant objects could be distinguished, we made preparations to take their bearings, and while the boat's crew were landing the theodolite, our party were amusing themselves on the top of the hill.