The Strait to the eastward of Point Dale I have named after my friend Robert Brown, Esquire, the profound botanist of that voyage.

In the evening we anchored about three miles from a low rocky island; beyond which is an opening like a rivulet, but it was so inconsiderable in appearance that I was not induced to examine it farther.

July 30.

The next evening we anchored at the bottom of a bay and inside of a group of islands which appear to be the Crocodils Eylandts of the old charts.  The bay was called after the late Viscount Castlereagh, then Secretary of State for the Foreign Department.  Two or three small openings that were noticed at the bottom of the bay are probably the embouchures of as many rivulets.  This part of the country is low and of uninteresting aspect; dwarf timber appears to pervade the summits of the land near the coast, and of so level an outline that it bears a strong resemblance to a clipped hedge.

July 31.

At daylight we were enveloped in a dense fog which nearly concealed the land; but on weighing two conspicuous points were set, by which I was enabled to connect my survey.  Soon afterwards the fog spread so thickly over us that the land was entirely concealed; and as the water was shoal we were obliged to anchor until the fog cleared off, when we again got under weigh and ascertained the form of the south-west corner of the bay; it is of very shoal approach:  our anchorage at night was not more than four miles and a half to the north-east of that of the evening before.

1819.  August 1.

The next day we attempted to steer to sea between the islands but our course was interrupted by a reef which connected the islets on either side of us; being thus embayed, we were obliged to anchor, but as the wind was light no danger was anticipated.  Mr. Roe was sent in a boat to sound about our anchorage:  on his return he reported the water to be of tolerably even depth, excepting to the southward where there was a spit, on which the least water was four and three quarters fathoms, beyond which it deepened again.

As the night advanced, the wind freshened from the South-East and rendered our situation extremely unsafe.  When the tide made against the wind the swell rose and caused our only remaining anchor to drag; more cable was instantly veered; but as the vessel did not bring up and we were drifting towards the reef no alternative was left but to weigh and keep under sail; which, during a long and dark night, and near so extensive a reef, was running great risk.  Our loss of anchors was now much felt for no sooner were we under sail than the wind died away; and from the heavy swell the cutter was so ungovernable that the vessel twice missed stays in endeavouring to tack in shoal water; fortunately the water deepened again on standing on, or nothing could have prevented our going on shore.  After plying to windward for an hour the weather tide ceased; when the disadvantage of a lee tide was counterbalanced by smoother water and a steadier breeze.  We passed a very anxious night, but without encountering any accident.