Chapter XVIII

King's Third Voyage--Early misadventures--Examines North-West coast closely--The Mermaid careened--Unforeseen result--Return to Sydney--The Bathurst--King's Fourth Voyage--Last of the Mermaid--Love's stratagem--Remarkable cavern--Extraordinary drawings--Chasm Island--South-West explorations--Revisits his old camp--Rich vegetation--Greville Island--Skirmish at Hanover Bay--Reminiscence of Dampier--His notes on the natives and their mode of living--Cape Levêque--Buccaneers' Archipelago--Provisions run out--Sails for the Mauritius--Survey of South-West re-commenced--Cape Chatham--Oyster Harbour anchorage--A native's toilet--Seal hunt--Friendly intercourse--Cape Inscription--Vandalism--Point Cloates not an island--Vlaming Head--Rowley Shoals--Cunningham--Botanical success--Rogers Island closely examined--Mainland traced further--An amazing escape from destruction--Relinquishment of survey--Sails for Sydney--Value of King's work--Settlement on Melville Island--Port Essington--Colonisation--Fort building--A waif--Roguish visitors--Garrison life--Change of scene--Raffles Bay--Dismal reports--Failure of attempt.