.

Bad weather prolonged our stay until the 26th of November. We had been
chiefly occupied in determining the position of the mouths of the various
channels intersecting the banks, that extend across the entire bay, three
miles within the entrance. The most available passages appeared to be
those lying on the south and west shores, particularly the former for
vessels of great draught; but we did not conclude the examination of them
at this time, sailing on the morning of the 26th to survey the coast to
the westward. The first thirteen miles, trending West by South was of a
low sandy character, what seemed to be a fertile country stretching
behind it. Two features on this line are worthy of notice--Point
Flinders, resembling an island from seaward, on account of the low land
in its rear; and the mouth of the river Barwon, navigable for boats
entering in very fine weather. On its northern bank, eight miles from the
sea is the site of the town of Geelong. Passing this the nature of the
country begins to change, and high grassy downs with rare patches of
woodland present themselves, which in their turn give place, as we
approach Cape Otway, to a steep rocky coast, with densely wooded land
rising abruptly over it.

CAPE OTWAY.

The above-mentioned Cape is the northern point of the western extremity
of Bass Strait, and is swept by all the winds that blow into that end of
the Funnel. The pernicious effect of these is evident in the stunted
appearance of the trees in its neighbourhood. It is a bold projection in
latitude 38 degrees 51 minutes, and appears to be the South-West
extremity of a ridge of granite gradually rising from it in a North-East
direction. About half a mile off it, lies a small detached reef.

Having thus coasted the northern side of the Strait, we proceeded to
cross over to Tasmania to examine the southern side. About halfway is
King Island, extending in a north and south direction, thirty-five miles,
and in an east and west thirteen. It lies right across the entrance of
the Strait, about forty miles from either shore, and from its isolated
position is well adapted for a penal settlement.

The more northern channel of the two formed by this island is the safer,
and the water deepens from 47 to 65 fathoms as you approach it from the
continent. Its outline is not remarkable, the most conspicuous point
being a round hill 600 feet high over the northern point called Cape
Wickham. We anchored in a bay on the