were however very soon convinced of its being entirely destitute of it.

On the eastern side of the port the land is much broken and fronted by
several islands which were named after Sir John Osborn, one of the Lords
of the Admiralty; among them is a conspicuous steep rocky head, like
Mount Cockburn in Cambridge Gulf; it appeared to be perfectly
inaccessible.

October 13.

At daylight (13th) we left the port; we had very little wind during the
day and by sunset had only reached an anchorage off Point Pickering, so
named after a late much-respected friend.

A bay trends to the westward of Point Pickering, which was called
Walmsley Bay; it probably affords good anchorage.

October 14.

During the night we had lightning from the North-West, and the next day
the wind was so light that we did not make much progress; an anchorage
was occupied during the ensuing night to the eastward of Point Biggs,
half a mile to the northward of a small rocky island in ten fathoms and a
half, muddy bottom. Every succeeding day the weather was getting more and
more unfavourable for our purpose; which increased my anxiety to escape
from this labyrinth of islands and shoals; for we had evidently no time
to spare in order to leave the coast before the rainy season should
commence.

The whole of this gulf is admirably formed for the trepang fishery and