Chapter 2: 5 (1)

Sail from Swan River. Search for the supposed Turtle-dove Shoal. Approach to Houtman's Abrolhos. Find an anchorage. View of the Lagoon. Guano. Remnants of the wreck of the Batavia. Pelsart Group. Visit the Main. Geelvink Channel. Enter Champion Bay. Appearance of the Country. Striking resemblance of various portions of the coast of Australia. Leave Champion Bay. Coast to the northward. Resume our examination of the Abrolhos. Easter Group. Good Friday Harbour. Lizards on Rat Island. Coral formation. Snapper Bank. Zeewyk Passage. Discoveries on Gun Island. The Mangrove Islets. Singular Sunset. Heavy gale. Wallaby Islands. Flag Hill. Slaughter Point. Observations of Mr. Bynoe on the Marsupiata. General character of the reefs. Tidal observations. Visit North Island. Leave Houtman's Abrolhos. General observations. Proceed to Depuch Island. Drawings on the rocks. Native youth. New bird and kangaroo. Effects of Mirage. Examine coast to the Turtle Isles. Geographe Shoals. Number of turtles. Bedout Island. Scott's Reef. Approach to Timor. Pulo Douw. Scene on entering Coepang Bay. Surprise of Swan River native. Visit to the Resident. His stories. Fort Concordia. Second visit to the Resident. The Timorees. Arrive at Pritie. Description of the country. Muster of the shooting party. Success of the excursion. The Javanese Commandant. Character of the Timorees. Dutch settlement in New Guinea. Leave Coepang. Island of Rottee. Tykal Inlet. Inhabitants of Polo Douw.

SAIL FROM SWAN RIVER.

The improved state of the colony enabling us to get supplies, it was resolved that we should return to the North-west coast, examining on the way, Houtman's Abrolhos, a coral group that had very rarely been visited, since the Dutch ships were lost on them, one 120 and the other 220 years ago, and of which next to nothing was known.

Not being able to persuade Miago to accompany us, he being too much engaged with his new wife, we enlisted the services of a native youth who generally went by the name of Tom, and left Gage Roads on the afternoon of April 4th.

Off the west end of Rottnest a sail was seen, which we afterwards found, to our mortification, was H.M.S. Britomart, from Port Essington. We had another fruitless search for the bank reported to the northward of Rottnest. Steering North-North-West from the west end of it, the soundings increased gradually to 35 fathoms, till passing Cape Leschenault at the distance of twenty-two miles; but afterwards, no bottom with 50 fathoms, till reaching the latitude of 31 degrees 7 minutes South, where the coast projecting, brought us again within twenty miles of it, and into a depth of 45 fathoms. We continued in soundings till in latitude 30 degrees 36 minutes South, varying from 26 to 98 fathoms, seventeen miles from the land with the former, and twenty-five with the latter depth, which shows the extent and steepness of the bank of soundings fronting the coast, between the parallels I have mentioned.

THE ABROLHOS GROUP.

April 6.

There was unusual weather last night, overcast with a squally westerly wind. Just laying our course North-North-West, at noon we were in latitude 29 degrees 11 minutes South, on the position assigned to a reef called the Turtle Dove. From the masthead I could see nothing indicating a shoal. Captain King passed near this position, and also remarks not seeing it. The Colonial schooner Champion, in beating to the southward, has passed over and near its assigned position, and I think we may fairly infer that there is no such reef as the Turtle Dove, and that probably it originated from the south end of the Abrolhos reef, ten miles North-North-West of it, being seen. We found 29 fathoms on this supposed shoal, with 35, twelve miles South by East of it, and 127, twenty-eight miles in the same direction. Between it and the south end of the Abrolhos Group the water deepened to 35 fathoms. In approaching the nearest island we passed close round the south-east end of a reef, running out about a mile from the south point, and then trending away round in a North-west by North direction, so as to form one side of a lagoon, whilst the island I have mentioned--a long narrow strip trending North-east by North--forms the other. The weather looking unsettled, the wind being from the south-west, with slight rain squalls, we were glad to find shelter, so near the commencement of our work, in a bight on the east side of the island, three quarters of a mile from the south point, where we anchored in 13 fathoms, scarcely a quarter of a mile from the shore. A coral patch, of two and a half fathoms, with only two on its northern extreme, confines this anchorage, which affords shelter from South-South-East round by West to North-east by North. The tide rose here 32 inches.

From the masthead I got a tolerably good view of the island, in some places scarcely a cable wide, and a number of islets scattered to the north-west. The lagoon at this place was not more than three miles across, though marked twelve in the old charts; and I could trace the long line of white breakers rolling in on the other side in solemn grandeur, contrasting strongly in their foaming turbulence with the placid waters within the protection of the reef and island. I could clearly distinguish the limit of the danger in this direction, and that there was nothing to break the swell beyond. The surface of the lagoon was diversified by blue and grey patches, showing the alternations of shoal and deep water; near the centre there appeared to be a channel, which we afterwards found to be ten fathoms deep.

In the head of the bight where we were anchored, there was a narrow low sandy neck, placed by our observations in latitude 28 degrees 58 minutes 26 seconds South and longitude 1 degree 47 minutes 32 seconds west of Swan River,* over which we hauled a boat to examine the opposite side of the lagoon.

(*Footnote. As we shall refer all longitudes during this cruise to Scott's Jetty, Swan River, I may here state that the approximate longitude of that place is considered to be 115 degrees 47 minutes East of Greenwich.)

A few remarkable clumps of mangroves pointed out the position of some lagoons about a mile and a half from the south end of the island, which is fronted by a line of low overhanging cliffs of recent, cream-coloured limestone. Upon these rests a layer of a kind of soil, in some places eighteen inches deep, in others four feet, in which the seabirds burrow, and which, from what I have since seen of the much sought after guano, I believe to contain some of the valuable substance. In some of the islands forming Houtman's Abrolhos which we subsequently examined, I found similar signs of the presence of this manure, which I think worthy of being made the subject of enquiry.

On the south part of the island I found a block of scoria measuring three feet by two; which, though not appearing to possess the power of floating, must have been brought by the current from the volcanic island of St. Paul's. We saw a few hair-seals on the beach when we landed, and a rich kind of rock oyster was found at low-water.

PELSART GROUP.

On the south west point of the island the beams of a large vessel were discovered, and as the crew of the Zeewyk, lost in 1728, reported having seen the wreck of a ship on this part, there is little doubt that the remains were those of the Batavia, Commodore Pelsart, lost in 1627. We in consequence named our temporary anchorage Batavia Road, and the whole group Pelsart Group. It was the wreck of this Dutch ship that led to the discovery of this part of the continent of Australia, Commodore Pelsart himself having crossed over to it in a boat in search of water.

VISIT TO THE MAIN.

April 8.

In the afternoon we got underweigh, with a fresh south wind. The low neck over which the boat was hauled, and which appeared like a gap from the offing, bearing west, led clear to the northward of the two fathom patch. We steered across East by South 1/2 South for the main, losing sight of the island from the Beagle's poop (height 15 feet) at the distance of five miles and a half. Three miles further brought us in sight of the land, forming a high level range, with a knob or lump on its south extreme. Some five or six miles to the south-east were seen isolated peaks, which we rightly supposed to be the Wizard Hills of Captain King, whilst the lump above spoken of proved to be Mount Fairfax, the level range being Moresby's Flat-topped Range. As we neared them the Menai Hills began to show themselves.

Our soundings, after leaving the island, deepened quickly to 30 and 35 fathoms. Six miles from it the depth decreased to 23 fathoms. We stood off and on during the night, the current setting North-North-West a mile an hour. The space between the Abrolhos and the main bears the name of Geelvink Channel, after Vlaming's ship, the first that ever passed through (A.D. 1680).

The chief object of the Beagle's visit to the main was to ascertain the position of a good anchorage, before spoken of as reported at Swan River to be under the south-west end of Moresby's Flat-topped Range. The favourable account which Captain Grey had given of the country behind the range made the knowledge of a good anchorage in its neighbourhood of vast importance. Captain King missed this portion of the coast by crossing over to the Abrolhos, which he places some five miles too much to the westward, the lowness of the island deceiving him, as indeed it at first did us. The reef off the south-west end, however, he has rightly fixed.

April 9.

At daylight the ship was in 24 fathoms, fifteen miles from Wizard Hills, bearing South 70 degrees East. As we neared the shore, steering North-East by North we saw a low point, running out west from the south end of Moresby's Range, fronted by heavy breakers, particularly to the north-west. Behind, the water was quite smooth, and promised a snug anchorage. We passed round the reef in 13 1/2 fathoms, at the distance of a half, and three-quarters of a mile; but we did not haul into the bay until some suspicious spots had been sounded over by a boat. Finding not less than four and a half fathoms, we stood in, Mount Fairfax bearing east. The small table hill forming the north-west extreme of the Menai Hills, bearing North 11 degrees East, leads clear to the westward of the reef. Between this and the north point of the bay the water occasionally lifts suspiciously. Inside the depth is regular, five and six fathoms, fine white sand.

CHAMPION BAY.

To this anchorage was given the name of Champion Bay; whilst the projection sheltering it from the south-west was called Point Moore, after the Attorney-general at Swan River, who visited it in the Colonial schooner. We anchored early in the forenoon in four fathoms, Mount Fairfax bearing North 81 degrees East five miles and three-quarters; Point Moore South 49 degrees West one mile, the end of the reef North 60 degrees West also one mile, and a bare-topped brown sandhill, South 33 degrees East, three-quarters of a mile. Immediately under the last-mentioned the observations were made, placing that spot in latitude 28 degrees 47 minutes 8 seconds South and longitude 1 degree 9 minutes 20 seconds West of Swan River. A most singular ridge of very white sandhills lay a quarter of a mile to the eastward.

ELEVATION OF THE HILLS.

A plan of the bay was made, and the elevation of the neighbouring heights taken; Mount Fairfax proving to be 585 feet, and Wizard Peak 700 feet.

I regretted there was not time to visit Moresby's Flat-topped Range, as we might have got a glimpse of the good land reported by Captain Grey in the neighbourhood. The sides of the high lands look fertile over the sandhills of the bay; but through a spy-glass I found that they had a brown arid appearance and were destitute of timber.

I was forcibly struck with the resemblance between Moresby's Range, Sea Range on the Victoria, Cape Flattery on the north-east coast, and I may add, from Flinders' description, the cliffs forming the coast range at the head of the Australian Bight. The great similarity in the elevation, all being between 500 and 700 feet, is still more remarkable. To bring this great resemblance between opposite portions of the Australian continent before the reader, I have inserted sketches of those parts which were seen in the Beagle.

The beach in the south corner of Champion Bay, having the appearance of being seldom visited by a surf, it is possible that a small vessel may be sheltered by the reef in north-west gales, which the anchorage is exposed to, and which, therefore, can only be considered safe in the summer season. Five miles to the southward of Point Moore there is another bay, which appeared much exposed to the prevailing winds. The shore between is rocky with outlying reefs.

LEAVE CHAMPION BAY.

April 10.

We left Champion Bay at daylight, with a moderatE south wind and fine weather, and passed over some uneven ground south-west of the north point, soundings varying from five to seven fathoms, sand and rock, which though at a quiet time, almost formed breakers.

APPEARANCE OF THE COAST.

As we ran along to the northward, the coast was lined with sandhills very partially dotted with vegetation. Behind these was a margin of brown arid-looking downs, receding to the foot of the uplands. Twenty miles of the coastline from Champion Bay trended North 29 degrees West.

At noon we were in latitude 28 degrees 26 minutes South; the Menai Hills, a group lying just off the north end of Moresby's Flat-topped Range, bearing South 73 degrees East ten miles. A valley or ravine, through which probably a rivulet* runs in the wet season, bore North 83 degrees East two miles, and a singular large patch of sand, 270 feet above the sea, North 22 degrees East two miles and a half. North of this patch the land changes its appearance; the bare sandhills cease, and a steep-sided down, 300 feet high, faces the coastline. Our track was from two to three miles from the shore, in 19 and 22 fathoms, fine white sand; a heavy surf washing the beach. South-east of the Menai Hills the country appeared much broken, with high table ranges of from 4 to 700 feet.

(*Footnote. This (in latitude 28 degrees 25 minutes South) may have been one of the rivers discovered by Captain Grey, but which it was impossible for us to determine, as no account of them had been left with the Surveyor-general, Mr. Roe.)

It was now necessary to resume our examination of the Abrolhos, and thirty-one miles on a West 1/4 South course, brought us between two groups of them, where we anchored for the night in 23 fathoms. The soundings in standing across Geelvink Channel, were 22 and 26 fathoms, fine white sand; the current ran North-North-West, a mile an hour.

April 11.

At daylight we found that the summit of a large island, in the centre of the group to the northward, bore North 21 1/2 degrees West about nine miles.

GOOD FRIDAY HARBOUR.

We now beat to the southward in search of a harbour, where the ship might lie in safety whilst we went to work with the boats, and were fortunate enough to discover one close to the north-east point of a large island lying in the centre of the group to the southward; which we named Easter Group, and the harbour Good Friday Harbour, to commemorate the season of the Christian year, at which we visited it. Perhaps at some future period, when the light of the gospel shall have penetrated to every part of the vast Australian continent, these sacred names, bestowed by us upon some of its outworks, may be pronounced with pleasure, as commemorative of the time when the darkness of ignorance and superstition was just beginning to disperse.

Good Friday Harbour, like all coral harbours, requires to be taken by eye, being full of coral knolls, which necessitate the utmost vigilance. In itself, however, it is an excellent port, capable of holding a large number of ships, and with a general depth, between the coral patches, of from 15 to 17 fathoms, with a fine muddy sandy bottom. The eastern extremity of the large island bearing South by East 1/2 East led into the harbour. As we threaded our way among the patches of coral, the view from the masthead of the submarine forests through the still pellucid water was very striking. The dark blue of the deep portions of the lagoon contrasted beautifully with the various patches of light colours interspersed.

We found to our surprise that the group into which we had penetrated was entirely distinct from that under which we had first anchored to the southward, so that we had already discovered the Abrolhos to form three separate groups.

RAT ISLAND.

The centre island we named Rat Island, from the quantity of that vermin with which it was infested. We also saw here a few seals, and numbers of a very pretty lizard (figured in the appendix) with its tail covered with spines. Several of these were brought away alive. I had two myself for nine months on board, and afterwards presented them to Lady Gipps. Of those taken by Lieutenant Emery, he was so fortunate as to bring one alive to England, in 1841. It is still in his possession, and thrives remarkably well. In one of his last letters he writes to me as follows on the subject: "The Abrolhos lizard is very docile, and knows Mrs. Emery quite well, and will eat and drink out of her hand; but is timid with strangers. Its habits are rather torpid, but it becomes active when in the sun or before the fire. It eats so very little that a piece of sponge cake about the size of a small bean will satisfy it for three or four weeks. It changes its skin twice a year."

The formation of Rat Island resembles that already noticed in Pelsart Group; there were the same low overhanging cream-coloured limestone cliffs, to the height of half the island; the greatest elevation of which was 13 feet, with a similar soil, mixed with guano, and filled with burrows of the sooty petrel, or mutton bird. Surrounding it is a low coral reef, trending northward to the outer edge of the group.

CORAL FORMATION.

This reef afforded me an opportunity of examining the coral formation of the Abrolhos, which, with the exception of Bermuda, is the place farthest removed from the equator where coral formation is found. The reef on which Rat Island rests extends off four hundred yards on the inner side, and has 12 fathoms just off it, on a grey sandy mud. The greater portion is composed of a variety of corals intermixed, and forming a consolidated mass, with brain-stones scattered over. It is nearly dry at low-water; but a portion does not rise so high, projecting out so as to form a narrow shelf, from the edge of which a wall descends almost sheer to the depth of 54 feet. The upper 20 feet are formed of a peculiar kind of coral, growing in the shape of huge fans, spreading out from stout stems overlapping each other in clusters, and having angular cavities between. The coral forming the lower 34 feet of the wall is of the common large branch kind.

Whilst in Good Friday Harbour the quarter-master reported smoke on one of the islands to the north-east. All eyes were instantly turned in that direction, in curiosity to find what could have caused it. And sure enough a long streak of smoke was curling upwards through the air. It soon however appeared that it rose from some fire on the main, distant about thirty-five miles, and that its being visible by us was owing to the extreme clearness of the atmosphere.

The observation spot on Rat Island was on the north-east end, which we placed in latitude 32 degrees 42 minutes 50 seconds South and longitude 1 degree 57 minutes 50 seconds West of Swan River. Having completed our work in the harbour, we left, for the purpose of securing the requisite material for the north-east part of this group, which we found to be a detached cluster with deep-water between, and to be also similarly separated from the extreme of the group--a small isle about five feet high, composed of sand and dead coral. The average depth surrounding the islands was 20 and 23 fathoms, being the same level as that of the great flat or plain on which they rest, and which extends out from the mainland, shelving off at the outer edge of the southern part of the Abrolhos almost precipitously to no bottom with 250 fathoms. We now proceeded southward, to examine the opening between Easter and Pelsart Groups, and to complete the extremity of the northern part of the latter.

SNAPPER BANK.

On our way we discovered a coral bank of 7 fathoms, a mile and a half long, seven miles East-South-East from the north-east end of Easter Group. We called it Snapper Bank, from the immense quantity of that fish which we found on it. In half an hour we caught more than we could cure, so that it became necessary to stop the sport. This shows what a lucrative trade might be carried on by the people of Swan River with the Mauritius; for the lake on the island of Rottnest affording a large supply of salt, any quantity of fish might easily be caught and cured. The whole group is abundantly supplied, though nowhere so plentifully as at Snapper Bank.

From near the south-east end of this bank the main was visible from the Beagle's poop. Here we anchored for the night in 24 fathoms, and next morning stood out to sea between Easter and Pelsart Groups to ascertain if there were any more reefs to the westward, though the long unbroken swell was almost sufficient to convince us that there were none.

SOUNDINGS BETWEEN THE GROUPS.

In a line between the outer reefs of the two groups the depth was 36 fathoms; a mile and a half further in we had 29; but outside it deepened off suddenly to no bottom with 70, and in two miles and a half to none with 170. Before returning we tried for bottom with 250; but, as has been already mentioned, without success. Outside the reef we felt a current setting a mile an hour North-North-West. In standing in again we passed close round the north-west end of the reef encircling Pelsart Group, in 31 fathoms, and anchored in 17, just without a line of discoloured water, which we found to have 5 fathoms in the outer part, extending across the mouth of the lagoon; the largest island bearing South by West one mile and three-quarters.

GUN ISLAND. DUTCH REMAINS.

April 24.

In the morning the boats were despatched on their ordinary work, and Captain Wickham and myself landed on the largest island, a quarter of a mile long, forming the north-western extreme of Pelsart Group, and which we named Gun Island, from our finding on it a small brass four-pounder of singular construction, now deposited in the United Service Museum (see the cut annexed) with quantities of ornamental brasswork for harness, on which the gilding was in a wonderful state of preservation; a number of glass bottles and pipes, and two Dutch doits, bearing date 1707 and 1720. This was a very interesting discovery, and left no doubt that we had found the island on which the crew of the Zeewyk were wrecked, in 1727, and where they remained so long, whilst building, from the fragments of their vessel, a sloop, in which they got to sea by the passage between Easter and Pelsart Groups, which has consequently been called Zeewyk Passage. The scene of their disaster must have been on the outer reef, a mile and three-quarters south-west from Gun Island, along which ran a white ridge of high breakers.

The glass bottles I have mentioned were of a short stout Dutch build, and were placed in rows, as if for the purpose of collecting water; some of them were very large, being capable of holding five or six gallons; they were in part buried in the sand, and the portion which was left exposed to the air presented a singular appearance, being covered with a white substance that had eaten away the glaze. A number of seal bones were noticed on this island; and I have no doubt they are the remains of those that were killed by the crew of the Zeewyk for their subsistence. On the north end of the island was a hole containing brackish water; when we dug it deeper the salt water poured in. The next small islet to the East-South-East we discovered to be that on which the Dutchmen had built their sloop. On the west side of it was a spot free from coral reefs, thus offering them facilities, nowhere else afforded, for launching the bark which ultimately carried them in safety to Batavia.

A mile and a half to the southward of Gun Island, opposite a singular-looking indentation in the outer side of the reefs, a small cluster of cliffy islets approaches within half a mile of them. It is rather singular that in another of the group--larger than Gun Island, lying in the centre of the lagoon, and the only one not visited by the Beagle's boats--water should have been found by a party who came from Swan River to save the wreck of a ship lost in 1843, close to the spot on which the Batavia struck more than two hundred years ago. This island is called in the chart Middle Island. The well is on the south point, and the water, which is very good, rises and falls with the tide. Doubtless this must have been the island on which the crew of Pelsart's ship found water, though for some time they were deterred from tasting it by observing its ebb and flow, from which they inferred it would prove salt. The north point of Gun Island, which our observations placed in latitude 28 degrees 53 minutes 10 seconds South, longitude 1 degree 53 minutes 35 seconds West of Swan River, is fronted for half a mile by a reef.

MANGROVE ISLETS.

The ship was now moved to the north-east extreme of the lagoon, to which we crossed in 17 fathoms--the depth we anchored in, a mile north-west from a cluster of islets covered in places with mangroves, from which they receive their name. To the southward the depth in the lagoon, as far as a square-looking island, was 15 and 16 fathoms. The north extreme of the south island lay three miles to the south east of the Mangrove Islets, by which we found that its length was nearly ten miles, with a general width of about a tenth of a mile.

One of the eastern Mangrove Islets was a mere caY, formed of large flat pieces of dead coral, of the same kind as that of which I have before spoken as resembling a fan, strewed over a limestone foundation one foot above the level of the sea, in the greatest possible confusion, to the height of five feet. In walking over them they yielded a metallic sound. Pelsart, like Easter Group, is marked by a detached islet lying a mile off its north-east extreme.

May 3.

We fetched in under the Lee of Easter Group as the north-west gale of this morning commenced. The barometer did not indicate the approach of the gale, falling with it, and acting as in those we had encountered at Swan River.

SINGULAR SUNSET.

The sunset of the two days preceding had presented a very lurid appearance, and the most fantastically shaped clouds had been scattered over the red western sky. It seemed as though nature had determined to entertain us with a series of dissolving views. Headlands and mountains with cloud-capped pinnacles appeared and faded away; ships under sail floated across the sky; towers and palaces reared their forms indistinctly amid the vapour, and then vanished, like the baseless fabric of a dream.

The winds since the 29th had been very easterly; but early on the 1st became fresh from north-east; a stagnant suspicious calm then succeeded, during the forenoon of the 2nd. At noon the glassy surface of the water began to darken here and there in patches with the first sighing of the breeze, which soon became steady at north-west, and troubled the whole expanse as far as the eye could reach.

HEAVY GALE.

It was not, however, as I have said, before daylight of the 3rd that the gale commenced in earnest, continuing with great violence, accompanied with heavy squalls of rain, till noon next day, when the wind had veered to South-South-West. During this time the whole aspect of the scene was changed; immense dark banks of clouds rested on the contracted horizon; the coral islands by which we were surrounded loomed indistinctly through the driving mist; and the decks were drenched by heavy showers that occurred at intervals. The wind blew hardest from West-North-West, and began to moderate about nine on the morning of the 4th, when it had got round to south-west. The current during this breeze set a mile and a half East-South-East, changing again to the northward as the wind veered round to the southward. This clearly shows how certainly, in this neighbourhood, the movements of the air influence those of the sea.

WATER-SPOUTS.

It was the evening of the 5th before all was again clear overhead. In the morning, however, we shifted our berth, which had been a mile from the south extreme of the detached cluster of islets forming the north-east end of Easter Group. Several small water-spouts formed near the ship as we were about to weigh, which induced us to wait a little until they passed.

On the 8th we bore away for the northern group in 26 and 27 fathoms; the space between was named Middle Passage.

WALLABY ISLANDS.

Passing outside of a patch of breakers, lying two miles to the northward of the eastern islet, we hauled up south-east, and by feeling our way with the boats got the ship into a snug harbour on the south-east side of the highest island of the Abrolhos, which was afterwards named East Wallaby Island; another large one, named West Wallaby Island, lying two miles to the West-South-West with three small flat islets just between. To these we gave the name of Pigeon Islands, the common bronze-winged pigeon being found there in great numbers. The harbour we named Recruit Harbour, from its affording fresh supplies of the small kangaroo, in addition to the fish found everywhere else. Like the other ports in the Abrolhos, it is full of coral patches; the south point of north Pigeon Island, in one with a bare sandhill on the South-East point of West Wallaby Island, bearing South 50 degrees West, leads into the harbour clear of the spit on the north-west side and some coral patches on the east. In entering we had 7 and 8 fathoms, but the depth inside is 11 and 12; it is perfectly sheltered on all sides.

These islands, after the others, of which the greatest height is 12 feet, appear of considerable altitude; though the loftiest point rising on the north-east extreme of East Wallaby Island, measures no more than 50 feet. This island is upwards of a mile each way; whilst the west one is two miles and a half long, and one broad. In the centre of the eastern is a low flat, with hills rising all around, with the exception of the south side.

FLAG HILL.

The loftiest, which is called Flag Hill, is, as I have mentioned, on the north-eastern extreme, and has a long finger-shaped point running out from its foot in a north-east direction, to which we gave the name of Fish Point, from the number of snappers we caught there. They were so voracious that they even allowed themselves to be taken with a small bit of paper for a bait. Flag Hill is a rock formed of sand and comminuted shells; while the flat which stretches to the south-west from its foot is of limestone formation. In it we found a kind of cavern, about 15 feet deep, with a sloping entrance, in which was some slightly brackish water, that in percolating through the roof had formed a number of stalactites.

A reef, which dries in patches at low-water, connects the east and west Wallaby Islands. On the south-west point of the latter are some sandhills 30 feet high; and on that side also is a dense scrub, in which the mutton birds burrow, so that it forms rather troublesome walking.

SLAUGHTER POINT. NEW SPECIES OF WALLABY.

The northern end is a level, stony flat, terminating towards the sea in projecting cliffs six or eight feet high; with patches of bushes large enough to serve as fuel here and there, all full of a new species of wallaby, which, being plentiful on both the large islands, suggested their name. The reader will obtain a good idea of the numbers in which these animals were found, when I state that on one day, within four hours, I shot 36, and that between three guns we killed 76, averaging in weight about seven pounds each; which gave rise to the name of Slaughter Point for the eastern extreme of the island.

As there is no record of the Dutch having visited the northern group, it is impossible to say whether wallaby were then found on it or not. How they could have got there is a mystery, as there were no large floating masses likely to have carried them from the main. The species has been described from a specimen we obtained, as Halmaturus houtmannii; it is distinct from Halmaturus derbyanis, found on most of the islands on the southern parts of the continent.

We shall now fulfil our promise to the reader by laying before him the result of Mr. Bynoe's interesting observations on the Marsupiata, which the number of wallaby killed at Houtman's Abrolhos afforded him the means of perfecting. I may preface his remarks by stating, that all the information I could gain from the colonists on the subject was, that the young of the kangaroo were born on the nipple, which my own experience appears to corroborate.

MR. BYNOE'S OBSERVATIONS ON THE MARSUPIATA.

"My first examination," says Mr. Bynoe, "of the kangaroo tribe, to any extent, occurred at the Abrolhos; there I had an extensive field for ascertaining the exact state of the uteri of the wallaby of those islands. I opened between two and three hundred, and never found even the rudiments of an embryo; but in the pouch I have seen the young adhering to the nipple from the weight of half a dram to eight ounces and upwards. On examination, the only substance found in the womb when the animal was young and full grown, was a cheese-like substance of a straw colour: I likewise found a similar substance in the pouch around the nipples, and in many instances where the nipples were much retracted, it completely covered them, but it was of a darker hue than that in the uterus, and of a saponaceous or greasy feel; the aperture of the pouch so much contracted as scarcely to admit two fingers; wombs with their cornua remarkably small, and nipples in the pouch scarcely pointing, and in many instances retracted.

"Animals with these appearances, I concluded, had never borne young. Examinations frequently took place immediately after they were shot. In those that had recently discarded their young from the pouch, one nipple and frequently two were found much lengthened, and very often one more than the other. I have seen them in the wallaby frequently two inches in length, and with pouches so large, that you could with ease thrust your hand into them; the uteri with their appendages enlarged and apparently very vascular, as well as thickened; but in no one instance at the Abrolhos could I detect a gravid uterus; but I have seen the young adhering to the nipples less than half an inch in length, and in a perfectly helpless state. It is generally supposed that the uterus in the adult animal is not supplied with much arterial blood, merely sufficient to nourish that viscus. If such be the case, can it have the power of retaining the germ in the womb, when on the most minute examination of the young, I could not detect, by cicatrice or line of abrasion on any part of the abdomen, that they ever possessed umbilical vessels, or had been in any way nourished by a placenta? Let us take into consideration the small size of the animal found in the pouch, its utter helplessness, its slight power of motion, and its firm attachment to the nipple. The more it is in the embryonic state the firmer is its attachment to the mother; to separate it from the nipple requires some force; the surrounding parts of the opening of the mouth, after separation, bleed profusely, and the animal has no power to close it; the opening remains gaping and circular, the animal lies on its side, and if very young, soon dies. On each side of the opening is a line showing the extent of the mouth. When arrived at greater maturity it can make no noise until the mouth is fully developed, and then a faint hissing note; it has no power to stand until very large, and the hair is about to shoot out from the skin. An animal in so helpless a situation could not possibly, with all the aids and contrivances of the mother, attach itself to the nipple and produce adhesion of the oral aperture, when even at a later period it has no motion of life or power to close that opening. The retention in the uterus must be of short duration. I have been led to these conclusions from examinations on the banks of the Victoria River. A flying doe, inhabiting the grass flats, of more than ordinary size, was killed. In thrusting my fingers into the pouch, I found that the mammary glands were remarkably enlarged, pressing forcibly into that cavity. I questioned the seaman who took up the animal, immediately after being shot, whether he had taken the young out, and received a negative answer. Finding the mammary glands so extremely enlarged, I was induced (although pressed for time) to examine the uterus, and posterior and internal parts of those glands--the cornua as well as the other parts of the uterus were much thickened, and apparently highly injected with blood. On opening the cavity I found it throughout thickly coated with slimy or mucal secretion (the only uterus found by me in this state.) I now extended my examination in front of the womb to the posterior part of the mammae, and in doing so discovered a small gelatinous mass, about twice the size of a pea. On a closer inspection, it appeared to be retained in a thin transparent tube. I watched the substance narrowly and could distinctly perceive the rudiments of an animal. The feet were not developed, but pulsation and motion were not only observed by me, but by two of the men with me, both exclaiming "look at the little animal!" although I feel convinced that they did not know what I was searching for. There was not time to examine further into its state. I carefully removed the uterus, the apparent embryo and the mammae, and put it in a wide-mouthed bottle with some spirits, and gave it in charge of the seaman who was to carry a portion of the animal for the dinner of that day. It was placed in a canvas bag, but on crossing a Deep watercourse he had the misfortune to break the bottle, which he never mentioned until the following day. The contents soon dried up and became an uniform mass. The intense heat had rendered it so firm that nothing could be made of it; all the gelatinous parts had adhered so firmly to the bag, that I was compelled to abandon it. My object was to ascertain if there was a communication in a greater state of development between the womb and posterior part of the mammae, during the period of gestation; and I was fancying I had arrived at some conclusion, but all my hopes were destroyed by one fatal smash! So many theories have been formed on that point--that to advance this as a fact, would be treading too firmly on tender ground. At the first view of the gelatinous mass I seriously considered whether it could have been a gland, and whether the pulsation might have been communicated from muscular twitchings; I took my eye off the substance for some time, and on again looking at it, felt more confident than ever, that it was not a glandular substance. Its peculiar configuration and want of solidity proved it indeed not to be gland; its motion, on touching it with the point of the finger, was so much that of an embryonic animal, that I at once, without further investigation, pronounced it a kangaroo.

"Might not the tube I discovered convey the animal to the posterior part of the mammae, where it might become attached to the nipple in an inverted state? At any rate it was not in the body of the uterus. Had the mass been saved I should have taken one more look of inquiry without attempting to alter its structure, and left the matter for the judicious decision of some of the professors of comparative anatomy at home."

It may here be remarked that the birds met with on Houtman's Abrolhos, with the exception of one, resembling in shape and colour a small quail,* were known and common on the mainland. The aquatic species were also familiar to us; but the habit of one kind, of a sooty-black colour, generally called noddies, was quite new--that of building their nests, which are constructed of seaweed and contain only one egg, in trees. There were not many varieties of fish, the most abundant being snappers; of those that were rare Lieutenant Emery made faithful sketches.

(*Footnote. Haemapodicus scintilans, Gould.)

Half a mile west from Slaughter Point we found two caverns similar to that on East Wallaby Island, from which we got three tons of excellent water.

APPEARANCE OF THE REEFS.

The reefs surrounding this group appeared very much broken; and even at Easter Group we had found them to be not so regular as at Pelsart's. This suggests the idea, which appears to be borne out by all we saw, that the reefs are compact in proportion to the exposed position of the islands; the shelter afforded by Pelsart Group, in fact, did not require the reefs to be so united round the other islands to the north.

From the highest part of East Wallaby Island we discovered a patch of land bearing North-West 1/2 North eleven miles. The outer reef extended in that direction from the south-west point of West Wallaby Island, though it could only be traced by detached patches of breakers. To the south-east of its commencement lies Evening Reef. The observations were made on the north end of the north-east Pigeon Island, bearing West by South half a mile from our anchorage, in latitude 32 degrees 27 minutes 21 seconds South and longitude 2 degrees 1 minute 10 seconds West of Swan River, variation 4 degrees 10 minutes westerly. The temperature of Houtman's Abrolhos is rendered equable by the fact that they lie at the limit of the land breezes; during the month we were there the thermometer averaged 71 degrees.

Our protracted stay enabled us to get a tolerable series of tidal observations, which present some singular results. The time of high-water at the full and change was six o'clock when the tide rose 30 inches. It appeared that during the night there was a short flood of six hours with a rise of seven inches, and an ebb of two hours with a fall of only five inches; but that during the day the flow and ebb were nearly equal, the former being eight hours and twenty minutes, the latter eight hours and five minutes, and the rise and fall in each being 25 and 26 inches respectively.

TIDAL OBSERVATIONS.

A difference was also noticed between the day and night tides at Rat Island, where the time of high-water at the full and change of the moon was ten o'clock, and the rise varied from 8 to 32 inches, from the result of twenty-five observations; by which I found, moreover, that the tides ebbed five hours and a half in the night, and six hours and a half during the day, and the water fell 9 inches with the night, and 18 with the day ebb. The difference between the length of the night and the day floods was an hour; the duration of the former being six hours, whilst that of the latter was seven; whilst the difference in the rise was 7 inches, the greatest general height, which was during the night tides, being 20 inches.

We were detained in Recruit Harbour until May 21st, determining the position of the number of small islands and detached reefs to the south-east of Wallaby Islands; but at length, after completing the soundings on the north-east and north side and ascertaining the extent of the reef to the north-west, we proceeded to the isolated patch of land before mentioned as seen from Flag Hill, and which, from its relative position to the remainder of Houtman's Abrolhos, we called North Island.

An anchorage was found in 12 fathoms, three quarters of a mile from a bay on the north-east side, and half a mile from the reef extending to the northward. The island was about a mile across, and nearly circular. It was surrounded by a range of hills, with a flat in the centre, covered with coarse grass, where a great many quails were flushed, affording good sport, but not a single wallaby.

RECORD HILL.

The highest hill on the south-west point, measuring 42 feet, received the name of Record Hill, from our leaving a paper in a bottle, giving an account of our cruise. A contiguous reef stretched out from the west side of the island for the distance of a mile, beyond which was the open sea. This reef extended two miles and a half to the North-North-West and four miles and a half to the southward. Our observations were made on a sandhill 36 feet high, immediately over the bay, which they placed in latitude 32 degrees 18 minutes 5 seconds South longitude 2 degrees 9 minutes West from Swan River.

LEAVE HOUTMAN'S ABROLHOS.

May 23.

From Record Hill we had perceived that the sea was quite clear to the north and west beyond the reef, and being satisfied that we had reached the extremity of Houtman's Abrolhos,* we weighed in the morning, and passed about a mile and a half from the reef to the north of the island in 26 fathoms; and hauling up South-South-West, along the western side of the reefs, gradually deepened the water to 42 fathoms over a rocky ground, Record Hill bearing North 70 degrees East six miles and a half. We then had no bottom with 50 and 60 fathoms until noon, when we had 122 fathoms, sand and coral; Record Hill then bearing North 52 degrees East eleven miles and a half, just barely visible from the poop. It is singular that we should have had bottom at that distance from the group, whereas, when we had not proceeded half so far from the southern portion we had no bottom with 200 fathoms.

(*Footnote. Their extent in latitude therefore nearly corresponded with the old chart; and the apparent confusion in the shape given them, no doubt arose from their extremes only having been seen and then extended towards each other.)

To ascertain if there were any more reefs to the westward, we now steered West-South-West, sounding occasionally with 200 and 220 fathoms unsuccessfully.

After running thirty-two miles without seeing any indication of further dangers, of which, moreover, the long ocean swell rolling in convinced us, we steered to the northward.

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.

It may be proper to conclude our account of Houtman's Abrolhos with a few general remarks. They form three groups instead of one, as was formerly supposed; Pelsart Group being separated from Easter Group by a channel, the least width of which is four miles, whilst the middle passage between the latter and the Northern Group is six miles wide. The Abrolhos extend in a North-North-West direction forty-eight miles, diminishing in breadth towards the north; the greatest width of Easter and Pelsart Groups being twelve miles in a West-South-West direction. In Easter Group the outer reefs are most distant from the islands, being there four miles from the nearest, which is Rat Island. In the Northern Group the islands are more detached than in the others, and North Island is separated from them by a distance of ten miles.

We have already alluded to the regularity and sameness in the soundings in these groups, and between them and the main, clearly showing that they are not connected with each other, but rest on the outer extremity of a level or bank, stretching out from the main, and having a slight southerly inclination, the depth (29 fathoms) between the southern group and the coast being greater by four fathoms than between the coast and the northern group. On either side of the Abrolhos, at the same distance from land, the depth is more than 100 fathoms. The general nature of the bottom, in the quiet places between the reefs, is a fine grey sandy mud or marl, but in more exposed situations this is not so compact, whilst broken shells are more abundant. This bottom bears a striking resemblance to that within the Great Barrier Reefs.

After leaving the Abrolhos, as I have narrated, our progress to the northward was unusually slow, and between the parallels of 26 degrees 50 minutes South and 25 degrees 40 minutes South we again got into soundings varying from 187 to 81 fathoms, fine grey sand. At the greatest depth the ship was forty miles from the land, and twenty miles at the least, which was off Dirk Hartog's Island, at the south point of Sharks Bay. In passing round the north-west extremity of the continent we delayed, again endeavouring to get sight of Ritchie's Reef; but, on this occasion, as on our passage from the Victoria to Swan River, it was not seen, and as no bottom was obtained with 200 and 240 fathoms in its assigned position on the chart, it must either have a very different one or does not exist.

PROCEED TO THE COAST.

The part of the North-west coast that had not been seen by Captain King, commencing a short distance to the east of Depuch Island, it was resolved that our survey of that part should begin there, and on the 9th of June the Beagle reached an anchorage off a sandy bay on the north-east side of that island. As we drew near our progress was impeded by a fierce south-east breeze during the forenoons, which we found to prevail during our stay, being stronger at the full and change of the moon. Although coming directly from the land they quite made us shiver, reducing the temperature on one occasion to 59 degrees. These winds began about daylight at south, gradually veering and drawing round to the eastward as the day advanced, and subsiding again as rapidly after noon, leaving the evening and night generally calm.

SEARCH FOR WATER.