ual to the pace at which we were going; and in
this hazardous interval the yacht very nearly ran on a coral reef that
was only just a-wash.[6]

[Footnote 6: The temporary failure of the chart lamp was the real
cause of this alarm. The coast sheets for Northern Queensland are on a
very small scale, and it requires a strong light and young eyes to
read their figures and the infinitesimally small signs denoting
rocks.]

From Fern Island, an almost straight course through a narrow channel
hemmed in by rocks, reefs, shoals, and islets, brought us to the
entrance to the Albany Pass. The navigation is intricate, but the
scenery quite lovely; the land on either side of the Pass, whether on
the mainland or on the islands, being densely wooded. At Fly Point on
the mainland our attention was attracted by some curious-looking
projections on a hillside, which resembled an enlarged edition of
Stonehenge, in red sandstone. On looking through the glasses we
discovered that these projections were ant-hills of an extraordinary
peaked shape, some of them being many feet in height.

The entrance to Port Albany and Somerset is narrow; and the strong
tide and wind combined to knock up an unpleasant popple. At Somerset
on the mainland, and immediately opposite to our anchorage at Port
Albany, a pretty little station has been built, with a flagstaff in
front of the bungalow. On our arrival the flag which was hoisted was
dipped a great many times and a large bonfire was lighted, in order to
give us, I suppose, a really warm welcome.

_Sunday, August 21st._--The boat went ashore early this lovely morning
to the large house we had seen last night. The station belongs to Mr.
Jardine, a relative of the founders of the firm of Jardine, Matheson,
& Co., so well known in China as well as along this coast. The station
is for cattle, and they are gradually increasing its boundaries so as
to be able to supply Thursday Island and the neighbourhood with fresh
meat, of which they are lamentably in need at present. About
twenty-five years ago Mr. Jardine drove a mob of 700 cattle from
Rockhampton to this place. It took him and his party nearly two years
to accomplish the journey, and they had to fight the blacks on their
way.

The men who went ashore in the boat brought off some milk and new-laid
eggs. There is excellent water here. The supply is obtained from two
springs and a well, and as water is bad, scarce, and dear at Thursday
Island, many ships