As soon as we arrived on board we got underweigh and steered round the
bluff point on the west side of the island; and at half past five o'clock
anchored at about half a mile from the shore of the bay on which we had
lately landed. From this station we had an opportunity of observing the
features of the coast: Lacrosse Island is situated in the entrance of a
deep opening trending to the South-South-West towards some steep rugged
hills. The character of the country is here entirely changed: irregular
ranges of detached rocky hills of sandstone formation, very slightly
clothed with small shrubs and rising abruptly from extensive plains of
low level land seem to have superseded the low wooded coast that almost
uninterruptedly prevails between this and Cape Wessel; a distance of more
than six hundred miles. The present change, although more dreary and less
inviting, was hailed by us with pleasure; for the broken appearance of
the hills inspired us with the hope of finding some fresh stream from
which we might complete our water, and thereby prevent our premeditated
visit to Timor, whither it would soon be time to resort.

The fires which had been lighted in the course of the day by the natives
had rapidly spread over the summit of the hills, and at night the whole
island was illuminated and presented a most grand and imposing
appearance. After dusk Mr. Roe went with a party on shore in order to
take turtle and at eight o'clock returned with one of the hawk's-bill
species (Testudo imbricata?) the meat of which weighed seventy-one
pounds; about fifty eggs were also procured.

September 18.

The boat was sent again at four o'clock in the morning, as it was then
high water, but returned at daylight without success.