We soon heard the voices of the party returning and, having helped them and their loads of water out of the mud, we returned down the creek.
COAST THE LAND TO THE NORTHWARD.
March 5.
On standing out there was a fresh breeze blowing from the south-east, and when we were about half a mile from the shore the water to the northward deepened a great deal, for although it was now nearly low tide we had here two and a half fathoms with sandy bottom.

All along the shoals we had met with abundance of shell and other fish, and the pearl oyster was very abundant; indeed the shellfish along these banks were more numerous and varied than I had ever before found them.

I saw but few shells which I recognised as belonging to the southern portions of Australia, whilst many were identical with those which occur to the north-west.
EXAMINE ANOTHER MANGROVE CREEK.

CHARACTER OF THEIR SCENERY.
There was no high land whatever in sight; but one low hill, which just appeared above the mangrove tops, bore north by east.

After running north-east for about two miles with the same depth of water we came to another opening in the mangroves of a more promising character than several small ones which we had previously passed, and as, from the greater depth of the water, the extraordinary low character of the coast, and the circumstance of the driftwood upon Dorre Island, I expected to find a large river hereabouts, I determined to examine even the smallest openings most narrowly; we therefore ran straight for this one, and found that it had a shoal mouth with only four feet water at the entrance.