the purpose of catching fish. Mr. Roe, on his excursion round the
harbour, counted eleven of these weirs on the flats and shoals between
the two rivers, one of which was a hundred yards long, and projected
forty yards, in a crescent-shape, towards the sea; they were formed by
stones placed so close to each other as to prevent the escape, as the
tide ebbed, of such fish as had passed over at high water. This expedient
is adopted in many parts of the continent; it was observed by Lieutenant
Oxley, R.N., the surveyor-general of New South Wales, in his journey on
the banks of the Lachlan River: the same was also seen by me on several
parts of the North-West Coast; and, from its being used on the
South-East, South-West, and North-West Coasts, it may be concluded to be
the practice throughout the country.

While waiting for an opportunity of leaving this harbour, Mr. Roe
assisted me in making a survey of the entrance, in the hope of finding it
more available for large ships; but in vain; for ships drawing more than
twelve feet water cannot pass the bar. The rise and fall of the tide is
not only very inconsiderable, but also very irregular; under some
circumstances we found that it rose three feet, but this was very
unusual.

Our gentlemen made several excursions into the country in various
directions, in the hope of meeting with natives, but not the least
vestige of their immediate presence was found; they were not however far
from us, for the smokes of their fires were seen every evening; probably
the fear of punishment kept them away, as they had formerly made rather a
mischievous attack upon some of the Emu's crew.

No marks were left of the ship Elligood's garden, which Captain Flinders
found at the entrance of Oyster Harbour;* but a lapse of sixteen years