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FROM SWAN RIVER TO THE SHORES OF SHARK BAY.
PLAN OF EXPEDITION.
At length, in the middle of February, after a mortifying delay of nearly five months, an opportunity occurred which held out every prospect of enabling me to complete the examination of the most interesting portion of the north coast, together with the country lying behind it.
Three whale-boats having been procured, an engagement was made with Captain Long of the American whaler Russel, of New Bedford, to convey my party and the boats to some point to the northward of Shark Bay, and there land us, together with a supply of provisions sufficient for five months.

My intention was to form a provision depot in some island, and from that point to commence operations by the examination of the undiscovered portions of the bay; and, should circumstances occasionally render it desirable, I proposed to explore more minutely parts of the country as we coasted along, or to make excursions to such a distance inland as we might be able to penetrate.
Having completed the examination of the bay as far as we could with the provisions we carried from the depot, I intended to return to it and, after recruiting our stock, to make my way along the coast in the direction of North-West Cape; making excursions inland as before at such points as might seem to merit attention, and thus to continue to go northward until our provisions were so far exhausted as to compel us to return again to the depot; whence I finally proposed to continue my examination to the portion of the coast left unvisited to the southward of the depot, as far as Gantheaume Bay.
Several of the individuals who were to compose my party being now much experienced in the difficulties that attend explorations both on the coast and in the interior of the country, I felt that our enterprise was not so hazardous as at first it might appear to be, especially as Mr.
Hutt had arranged with me as to a spot, to which, in the event of our not returning to Swan River within a certain period the Colonial schooner would be sent to look for us; and moreover the captain of another American whaler had promised to visit North-West Cape at the end of July, as it was his intention to remain in Exmouth Gulf during the season of the bay fishing.

We had thus two chances of being discovered in case of any accident preventing us from effecting our previous return to the Swan River.
The unfortunate occurrence which frustrated my expectations of completing this design, and which threatened the eventual destruction of the whole party, will be narrated in its place.
FROM SWAN RIVER FOR SHARK BAY.
I had taken three whale-boats in order to have a spare one should any accident reduce the number; and everything being arranged I sailed in the Russel from Fremantle on Sunday February the 17th 1839 at 3 P.M.with the following party: Mr.Walker, the Surgeon of the former expedition.
Mr.Frederick Smith, the young gentleman who had accompanied me on a former tour.
Corporal Auger and Corporal Coles, Sappers and Miners.
Thomas Ruston, Sailor.
The last three, together with Mr.Walker, had been with me on the first expedition, and to these were added: H.Wood and C.Wood, Seamen.
Clotworthy, Stiles, and Hackney, taken as volunteers at Swan River.
And lastly, Kaiber, an intelligent native of the Swan.
Making in all twelve persons.
Our time during the voyage was occupied principally in getting the three whale-boats in order and making other similar preparations.

Poor Kaiber the native was dreadfully sick from the first.
Sunday February 24 1839.
This evening we Sighted the centre of Dorre Island, and stood in to within about two miles of the shore, which we found steep and rocky with a heavy surf breaking on it; we then tacked and stood off for the night.
LAND AT BERNIER ISLAND.
February 25.
Soon after daybreak we made the north-western part of Bernier Island and, doubling the point at Kok's Island, stood in to Shark Bay.