After collecting for Mr.Cunningham, who was confined on board by sickness, a few specimens of those plants which, to me, appeared the most novel, we commenced our descent, and reached the bottom in safety; by which time the tide was ebbing so rapidly that we set off immediately on our return with a view of arriving on board by low-water, in order that no time might be lost in sending the boats up with our empty water-casks.
During our absence Mr.Roe, who was fast recovering from the effects of his fall, had obtained the sun's meridional altitude upon the islet at the entrance of the river, which gave 15 degrees 25 minutes 46 seconds for its latitude, differing from the plan of last year by only fifteen seconds.
July 27.
The following day the boats were despatched up the river, but as the ebb-tide ran until after four o'clock it was late at night before they reached the cascade, having experienced some delay by running upon the sandbanks, which, above Alligator Island, are very numerous and form a narrow winding channel of not more than twelve feet deep; these banks are dry at low-water, and are composed of a yellow quartzose sand.

At midnight, as soon as the launch and cutter were loaded, for it did not take more than half an hour to fill the casks, I despatched them to the vessel with orders to return the following night for another load, and in the meantime I purposed continuing the examination of the river, of which we knew nothing beyond a few miles above the cascade.
July 28.
We were, however, unable to set out until half flood the next morning, on account of the shoalness of the channel.
For ten miles we found little or no variation either in its character or course: its windings were only just sufficient to intercept a clear view; for so direct was its course, that from this part the high round hill near the entrance was seen midway between the hills that form the banks of the river.
Proceeding a little way farther, we were suddenly whirled into a rapid amongst large stones, in the midst of which, as the stream was running at the rate of five or six knots, the grapnel was instantly dropped, which had the effect of reversing the boat's head.

After this the grapnel was weighed, and by very great exertions we extricated ourselves from the rapid, and then landed at a hundred yards below the fall, on the east bank, where the mangroves were so thick that it was with difficulty we penetrated through them: having succeeded, we walked to the bank near the rapid, and found that it was occasioned by the tide falling over a barrier of rocks, which probably at low-water confines the fresh water above this place; a few minutes afterwards it was high-water, and the tide suddenly ceased to run; when the water became quite smooth and motionless.
A fresh-water rivulet, at that time the mere drainings of what occasionally is a torrent, joined the main river, just above the rapid, by a trickling stream; and made us the more desirous of extending our knowledge of this extraordinary river: we therefore re-embarked, and, passing the rapid, pulled up the river against the tide for a mile farther, where it was suddenly terminated by a beautiful fresh-water rivulet, whose clear, transparent stream was so great a contrast to the thick, muddied water we had so long been pulling through that it was a most gratifying sight, and amply repaid us for all our fatigue and exertions.

The fresh water was separated from the salt tide by a gentle fall over rounded stones; but as the boat was unable to pass over them, we had only time to fill our water-vessels, in order to be certain of returning over the first rapid, before the strength of the stream rendered it dangerous to pass.

The bed of the river at this second fall appeared to be about two hundred and fifty yards in breadth: its farther course was lost sight of by a sharp turn, first to the North-East, and then to the South-East, between high and rocky hills.
Large groves of pandanus and hibiscus and a variety of other plants were growing in great luxuriance upon the banks, but unhappily the sterile and rocky appearance of the country was some alloy to the satisfaction we felt at the first sight of the fresh water; as we did not, however, expect to find a good country, the pleasure was not much diminished, and we set off on our return, perfectly satisfied with the success of our labours: we were at this time about fifty miles from the sea.
The ebb-tide had fallen for an hour when we passed the first falls, but there was no appearance of that violence which we witnessed in the morning; probably because the stream had not reached its strength.
An alligator was seen on our return, swimming within two yards of the boat, and a musket, charged with a ball and buck-shot, was uselessly fired at it.