sland, a
small level spot about seventy feet high, fringed with a coral reef,
particularly to the South-East, and forming the south eastern isle of
Bunker's Group. It was first seen at the distance of seven miles from the
Beagle's poop, the height of the eye being fifteen feet, and at that
number of miles east of it we had thirty fathoms. The weather was still
very hazy, but the wind had subsided to a light breeze from
East-North-East. After passing Breaksea Spit, a westerly current was felt
of nearly a knot an hour, which was also found to be the case in June,
1841.

June 21.

The morning was bright and sunny, a happy change after several days of
thick, rainy, and boisterous weather. The remarkable features in this
part of the coast, consisting of Round Hill,* Peaked Hill, and Mount
Larcom, stood out in bold relief against the pure blue of an Australian
sky.

(*Footnote. This hill was seen 35 miles from the Beagle's poop, and is a
good guide for Bustard Bay. Peaked Hill we found to be 2000 feet high,
and Mount Larcom 1800. They form admirable points for fixing the position
of the groups of isles fronting this part of
the coast.)

CORAL BANK.

In the evening steering North-West by West we passed over a coral bank
three miles wide, the least water on which was nine fathoms. From this
depth we procured a specimen of living coral. This bank was again crossed
in June, 1841, a mile and a half further to the South-West, when the
depth was only seven fathoms. It lies eight miles South-South-West from a
low islet, four miles from which in a West-South-West direction is a
coral patch, nearly dry. This islet, in latitude 23 degrees 34 minutes
South to which we gave the name of Mast Head, forms the south-western of
a group fronting Cape Capricorn. The latter has a hump on its extreme,
resembling a haycock, and by our observations* is in latitude 23 degrees
30 minutes 30 seconds South, which is two miles south of its position in
the chart. As we were detained by light winds in the neighbourhood, I had
more than one opportunity of detecting this error. By midnight we were
about 18 miles North by West from Cape Capricorn, when we felt a swell
from the eastward, which assured me there was an opening in the reefs on
the north side of the group of islets fronting the Cape.

(*Footnote. Hummock Island is alike in error with Cape Capricorn, but all
the distant points agree with the Beagle's observation.)

FLAT ISLAND.

June 22