To the north or north-east I could, even with a good telescope, see no limits to this lake, and, with the exception of the numerous beautiful islands with which it was studded, I could, even from the commanding position which I occupied, distinguish nothing like rising land anywhere between north by east and south-east.

The lake had a glassy and fairy-like appearance, and I sat down alone on the lofty eminence to contemplate this great water which the eye of European now for the first time rested on.

I looked seaward, and it appeared as if nature had heaped up the narrow and lofty sandy barrier on which I stood to shut out from the eyes of man the lovely and fairy-like land which lay beyond it.
At length I rose and returned to the party.

The news of my discovery filled all with hope; and, our miserable breakfast having been hurriedly despatched, I selected three men to accompany me in my first examination of the shores of this inland sea.

When we had gained the top of the sandhills the surprise of these men was as great as my own, and they begged me to allow them to return and endeavour by the united efforts of the party to carry one of the whale-boats over the intervening range, and at once to launch it on this body of water.
I however deemed it more prudent in the first instance to select the best route along which to move the whale-boat, as well as to choose a spot which afforded facilities for launching it.