nes
were observed that had been heaped up by the crews of the various ships
passing by, as relics of their visit: among other notices of a similar
nature we found a board indicating the safe passage through the strait of
the ship Sea-Flower, which our logbook informed us left Port Jackson on
the 21st of last May; and from the memorandum on the board we found that
she took the outer passage, entered Torres Strait at Murray's Island, and
arrived off Booby Island, after a voyage of twenty-two days.

A good opportunity was here offered, by comparing our voyage with that of
the Sea-Flower, of proving the superiority of the inshore route: the
Mermaid left Port Jackson on the 12th July, and passed Booby Island on
the 16th August, which is an interval of thirty-five days; from this
fifteen must be deducted for the delays occasioned by the survey; namely,
at Port Bowen two days, at Endeavour River nine days, at Lizard Island,
Cape Flinders, Haggerston's Island, and the Possession Islands, one day
each; this leaves twenty days for our passage, being two days shorter
than the Sea-Flower's. This comparison therefore is in favour of the
inshore route. But it is not only superior to the passage without the
reefs, from its being shorter, there are also other advantages: the
principal of which are that the weather is more generally fine; the sea
is always perfectly smooth; and wood or water may be procured upon
various parts of the coast: with only common attention there is no risk;
and however laboriously the day may be spent the night is passed without
disturbing the crew; for safe and good anchorage may be taken up every
night under the lee of an islet or a reef, which in the event of bad
weather may be retained as long as is requisite or convenient. No time is
lost by the delay, for the anchor may be dropped in the ship's immediate
track; and if the cargo consists of live animals such as horses, cattle,
or sheep, grass may be obtained for them from the islands near the
anchorage.

In the outer passage the sea is strewed with numerous reefs, many yet
unknown,* which render the navigation at night extremely dangerous; and
if, on approaching the part where it is intended to enter the reefs, the
weather should be thick, and the sun too clouded at noon to procure an
observation for the latitude, the navigator is placed in a very anxious
and a very unenviable situation; for the currents are so strong that the
position of the ship is by