They appeared to luxuriate in the water we had found, wondered at the size of our well, and expressed the greatest admiration of our skill in thus procuring this needful article; and I do not doubt but that long after every other recollection of our visit shall have passed away, this beneficial memorial of it will perpetuate the visit of H.M.S. Beagle, to this part of the great continent of Australia. CHAPTER 1.6. POINT CUNNINGHAM TO FITZROY RIVER. Survey the Coast to Point Cunningham. Move the Ship. Mosquitoes. Southern View of King's Sound. Singular vitreous Formation. Move to the south of Point Cunningham. Captain King's limit. Termination of Cliffy Range. Disaster Bay. An Exploring Party leave in the boats. The shore. A freshwater lake. Valentine Island. Native Fire and Food. A heavy squall. The wild Oat. Indications of a River. Point Torment. Gouty-stem Tree and Fruit. Limits of its growth. Another squall. Water nearly fresh alongside. The Fitzroy River. Tide Bore and dangerous position of the Yawl. Ascent of the Fitzroy. Appearance of the adjacent land. Return on foot. Perilous situation and providential escape. Survey the western shore. Return to the Ship. Sporting, Quail and Emus. Natives. Ship moved to Point Torment. February 21, 1838. We remained at this sheltered anchorage until the 21st, by which time the coast, so far as Point Cunningham, had been carefully examined. We found it everywhere indented with deep bays, in each of which good anchorage was to be found. The water's edge was in almost every place fringed with the closely twining mangrove trees, behind which the country gradually rose to an average level of about 200 feet, being thickly covered with the various sorts of Eucalypti, for which all the explored portions of this continent are more or less remarkable. In the afternoon of the 21st, we moved into a bay North-West of Point Cunningham, and anchored in 8 fathoms (low-water) about a mile North-West from that point; having passed over a bank of 5 or 6 fathoms, with 12 on its outer, and 10 on its inner side, and lying 2 1/4 miles north from Point Cunningham. MOSQUITOES. I spent the early part of this night on shore, a circumstance of which the tormenting mosquitoes took every possible advantage; finally driving me from their territory with every indignity, and in a state of mind anything but placid. The poet doubtless spoke from experience when he asserted: --there was never yet philosopher That could endure the toothache patiently. And even could such a prodigy of patient endurance be found, I am sure it would fail him when exposed to the ceaseless persecution of these inexorable assailants. February 22.