Lacrosse Island, so named by Commodore Baudin, is about nine miles in
circumference and about six hundred feet high; it is of a rugged
character and intersected by numerous deep ravines and gullies; which, in
the wet season, doubtless contain water.

The seaward or northern face of the island is formed of a fine-grained
sandstone, dipping in strata, with a slight inclination to the
South-East: large blocks of the same stone were also found scattered over
the hills. The soil with which it is but slightly covered is little
better than a thin layer of sandy earth; but notwithstanding its sterile
quality it produces a variety of small plants, among which a shrubby
acacia* was predominant and sufficiently abundant to tint the sides of
the hills where it grew with the sea-green colour of its foliage. At last
quarter ebb we got underweigh and proceeded to examine the opening by
steering South-South-West towards the deepest part; at twenty-three miles
from Lacrosse Island the gulf is divided by Adolphus Island into two
arms; one of which trended to the South-South-East and the other to the
South-South-West.**

(*Footnote. This plant is described in Mr. Cunningham's Journal as Acacia
leucophoea.)

(**Footnote. For the farther description of Cambridge Gulf see the
Appendix A Part 4.)

As the western arm appeared to be of most importance we entered it and,
with a strong flood tide, proceeded with great rapidity; as sunset
approached we began to look for an anchorage, but found much difficulty
on account of the strength of the tides, the great depth of water, and,