The latter, on observing us, hoisted their sails, and returned to their proas; but as it was not considered prudent to examine the port until they had passed by, its exploration was deferred, and we returned to our anchorage in Palm Bay.
We had not, however, to wait long, for the proas left Bowen's Strait the next morning, and crossed the bay to the westward.

Our anchor was weighed immediately, and we steered towards their sternmost vessel, in order to communicate with her, and to show her a letter with which we had been kindly provided by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, written in the Malay language, and explanatory of our occupation.

On running alongside the proa, the letter was displayed, but they appeared frightened and unwilling to bring to, and repeatedly pointed towards the headmost proa in which their Rajah sailed.
Since our object could not be effected without communicating with their Rajah, and as another opportunity might offer at some future time of communicating with these people, it was abandoned for the present; and we steered into the bay, and anchored within a small island at the entrance, in time to observe the sun's meridional altitude.

The evening was spent in pulling round the bay, the shores of which are low, and so overrun with mangroves, that landing was in most parts impracticable; but a small break in them being observed under a cliff, we put ashore to examine the country.

Here we found two streams of fresh water, one of which ran over the beach with some force; but they appeared to be only the drainings of the country, and to be merely of temporary duration.