The next day we anchored off an opening at the bottom of an extensive bay, in three and a half fathoms.
It happened to be high water when we anchored; and, although we were three miles from the shore, the tide of ebb reduced the depth so much that there was reason to apprehend the cutter's being left dry at low water; the depth was, however, ten feet and a half, which was only eighteen inches more than the cutter's draught.
May 23.
The opening off which we had anchored was formed between two low, sandy points, and trended in to the South-East; on the land at the back was a long round-backed hill, which, when viewed from the northward, had a flat-topped appearance.
May 24.
Having sounded the space between the anchorage and the shore, it was found that we were on the outer edge of a bar, within which the water deepened to five fathoms, and in the entrance there was as much as eleven and twelve fathoms; we therefore weighed the anchor, and, the wind blowing out, worked up towards the opening, which, as the tide was flowing, it did not take long to effect. On passing the bar, we had not less water than eleven feet (low water soundings), after which the depth gradually increased. An anchorage was taken up in the evening within the entrance.
May 25.
And the next day, after an attempt to reach further up, in which we only succeeded to the distance of a mile, the examination was completed by our boat.
It was found to run in, gradually narrowing and decreasing in depth for eight miles, and to terminate in two salt-water creeks. The banks on both sides were impenetrably lined with mangroves, which effectually defied our attempts to land. Several creeks, communicating with the low inundated land behind the mangroves, joined the main stream at intervals on both sides; but they were not interesting enough in their appearance to detain us. We returned to the cutter at night.
May 26.