near the sea had not the appearance of being of large growth; but the
abundance and the verdure of the trees gave this part a pleasing and
picturesque character. At the bottom of the opening was a remarkable
flat-topped hill under which the waters of the inlet appeared to flow in
a south-east direction. The entrance may possibly form a convenient port,
for there was no appearance of shoal water near it. The land which forms
its westernmost head appeared at first like an island, but was afterwards
presumed to be a projecting head, separating the opening from a deep
bight which was called Paterson Bay; at the bottom of the bay is another
opening or inlet that may have some communication with the first. The
western side of Paterson Bay is formed by very low land off which many
patches of dry rocks were seen to extend; beyond this the coast appeared
to be low and sandy.

August 29.

Light and adverse winds and calms, with a constant easterly current,
detained us in the vicinity of Paterson Bay until the following sunset;
when, in order to preserve the little progress made, we anchored near the
reefs on the western side of the bay. During the preceding day, sixteen
or twenty natives were noticed upon the sandy beach that fronts the red
cliffs on the eastern side of the bay, engaged in fishing, or perhaps in
watching our movements; and this evening the smokes of their fires were
observed among the trees near the same spot.

August 30.

The next day we made but little progress along the coast to the
south-west which is so low as not to be visible from the cutter's deck,
at a greater distance than six miles; this rendered the examination of it