Volume II Part 13 (2/2)

April 10

We left Chaht, with a moderatE south wind and fine weather, and passed over sos varying froh 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 ato the foot of the uplands Twenty rees West

At noon ere in latitude 28 degrees 26just off the north end of Moresby's Flat-topped Range, bearing South 73 degrees East ten h which probably a rivulet runs in the wet season, bore North 83 degrees East two e patch of sand, 270 feet above the sea, North 22 degrees East two es 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 fatho the beach South-east of the Menai Hills the country appeared es of frorees 25 minutes South) may have been one of the rivers discovered by Captain Grey, but which it was impossible for us to detereneral, Mr Roe)

It was now necessary to resume our examination of the Abrolhos, and thirty-one roups of theht in 23 fatho across Geelvink Channel, were 22 and 26 fathoms, fine white sand; the current ran North-North-West, a ht we found that the suroup 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 shi+p ht lie in safety whilst ent to ith 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 soospel 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 conorance 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 utilance

In itself, however, it is an excellent port, capable of holding a large nueneral depth, between the coral patches, of from 15 to 17 fathoms, with a fine e island bearing South by East 1/2 East led into the harbour As we threaded our way a the patches of coral, the view froh 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 forroups

RAT ISLAND

The centre island we named Rat Island, from the quantity of that vermin hich it was infested We also saw here a few seals, and nuured 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 Eland, 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 tiers 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 ses its skin twice a year”

The formation of Rat Island resembles that already noticed in Pelsart Group; there were the sa creaht of half the island; the greatest elevation of which was 13 feet, with a siuano, and filled with burrows of the sooty petrel, ornorthward to the outer edge of the group

CORAL FORMATION

This reef affordedthe 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 fathoreater portion is co a consolidated mass, with brain-stones scattered over It is nearly dry at loater; but a portion does not rise so high, projecting out so as to fore of which a wall descends almost sheer to the depth of 54 feet The upper 20 feet are fore fans, spreading out fro each other in clusters, and having angular cavities between

The coral fore 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 sh the air It soon however appeared that it rose from some fire on thevisible by us ing 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 ree 57completed our work in the harbour, we left, for the purpose of securing the requisite roup, which we found to be a detached cluster with deep-water between, and to be also siroup--a sh, co the islands was 20 and 23 fathoreat flat or plain on which they rest, and which extends out froe of the southern part of the Abrolhos almost precipitously to no bottom with 250 fatho between Easter and Pelsart Groups, and to complete the extremity of the northern part of the latter

SNAPPER BANK

On our e discovered a coral bank of 7 fatho, 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 shohat a lucrative trade ht 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 roup is abundantly supplied, though nowhere so plentifully as at Snapper Bank

From near the south-east end of this bank the le's poop Here we anchored for the night in 24 fatho stood out to sea between Easter and Pelsart Groups to ascertain if there were anyunbroken sas almost sufficient to convince us that there were none

SOUNDINGS BETWEEN THE GROUPS