as I at first thought, the unfavourable quality of the bottom: at last
the anchor was dropped close to the south-west shore of Adolphus Island
in the entrance of another arm which appeared to trend to the south-east
under Mount Connexion. The noise made by the chain cable in running
through the hawse-hole put to flight a prodigious number of bats that
were roosting in the mangrove bushes; and which, flying over and about
the cutter's mast, quite darkened the air with their numbers.

September 19.

As I purposed remaining two days at this anchorage to examine the country
we landed the next morning under View Hill, a high steep point on the
south shore abreast of the anchorage; and, having climbed the summit by a
rugged and fatiguing ascent, our labour was amply repaid by a very
extensive view of the surrounding country and by obtaining bearings of
Lacrosse Island and Shakspeare Hill; which served to fix the position of
View Hill.

The south end of Adolphus Island, of which I had a commanding view, is a
low, flat salt-swamp surrounded by mangrove bushes. To the south-eastward
of Shakspeare Hill but quite detached from it is a range of hills
extending in unconnected patches toward Mount Connexion. The principal
stream of the gulf, which is the west arm, runs under the base of View
Hill; three and a half miles farther on it opens into an extensive basin
at the bottom of which is some high land; here the basin is contracted in
its size, and trends to the westward round a mangrove point, where it was
lost to view.

Mr. Cunningham had also made an excursion upon Adolphus Island; he had
walked over the salt-swamp towards the hills, which, from his