"Sunday, January 31st. At 2 P.M. passed Seal Island. Observed the long range of breakers on the western side of the Port: several of them had shifted their berths nearer to mid channel...the whole of them for several miles broke incessantly and remarkable lofty--we passed within 2 miles of them. The reefs on the eastern side also broke much further out. In short the mid channel up this port has (by the immense run of bad weather) been made narrower. By 5 P.M. got to anchor in Elizabeth's Cove...out boats. Got the launch ready for sailing in the morning to explore the channel of the western harbour before mentioned. I went on shore in the gig. Found the well as we left it full of fine clear water and our board of directions hanging at the entrance of the pathway. At 4 A.M.* (* It will be seen that Bowen left to explore Port Phillip at 4 A.M. of January 31st and not on February 1st.) I sent the launch with Mr. Bowen and 5 men armed with 14 days' provisions and water down to the westward giving him particular instructions how to act both with respect to the harbour and natives should he fall in with any, the substance of which was that in finding a channel into the Port he would take marks proper for coming in with the vessel and immediately return to me and at all times to deal friendly with the natives. It may now be proper to observe that my intentions are that if a passage into that harbour is found I will take the vessel down into it and survey it as speedily as circumstances will allow, from that trace the coast to Cape Albany, from Cape Albany run strait to Cape Farewell and Harbinger Rocks, and if time, after that follow up the remainder of my orders. "Monday, February 1st...A.M. I walked along the beach for 8 miles up to Lady Nelson's Point and observed that a great variety of birds were in the brush and their notes very different; flights of white cockatoos of perhaps 100 were often seen. At Lady Nelson's Point we saw 20 or 30 swans in the salt-water lagoon...one and all of the birds we have seen were so shy that...we did not shoot one (a single pigeon excepted). The trees also were all in bloom. I am apt to think that summer does not begin in this part till January. On penetrating further into this island the soil was found to be good. "Tuesday, February 2nd. P.M. I sent a hand on shore to the well in order to see if any birds were to be got by his sitting there a few hours steady as numbers towards sundown came in to drink. The plan had the desired effect, 4 pigeons were shot, a dozen of parrots; these latter were common, I dined on them, the pigeons were preserved. On opening them all were found to feed on seeds of various kinds. "Wednesday, February 3rd. P.M. As I was walking along the pathway to the well I nearly trod on a snake about 6 feet long, the first we have seen on the island. It made its way into the brush.