I last saw poor Kennedy on the evening before he broke up his camp; he was then in high spirits and confident of success.
THEY COMMENCE THEIR JOURNEY.
The party, of thirteen men and twenty-eight horses (with carts, a flock of sheep for food, etc.) appeared to be furnished with every requisite for their intended journey, and the arrangements and appointments seemed to me to be perfect.

Nor did I, despite the forebodings of others, argue anything but a successful result to an undertaking, the blame of failure of which was AFTERWARDS attempted to be thrown upon those who had planned it.
The small granite island (one of the Family Group) off which we were anchored, afforded little of interest to us.

Fresh water was found in small quantities, not available, however, for the use of vessels.

The most curious production of the island is an undescribed plant of the singular family Balanophoraceae, not before known as Australian, which was found here in abundance in the gloomy brushes, parasitic upon the roots of the tallest trees.

We also met with here--in probably its southern limit upon the coast--a species of rattan (Calamus australis) with long prickly shoots, well illustrated in the annexed drawing by Mr.
Huxley, representing the process of cutting through the scrub, during an excursion made with Mr.Kennedy, for the purpose of searching for a way out from the low swampy district of Rockingham Bay.
COMMENCE THE SURVEY.
May 26th.
During the forenoon, the ship was moved over to an anchorage under the lee (North-West side) of Dunk Island, where we remained for ten days.