nes, moving in nearly the same direction. The
other two instances of hurricanes occurring in the neighbourhood are
those of the Ceres, in 1839, in latitude 21 degrees South, above 300
miles North-North-West from Sharks Bay, and of the Maguashas towards the
end of February,* 1843, in latitude 18 degrees South, about 400 miles
north of the same place. Ships, therefore, passing along the North-west
coast of New Holland at the season we have mentioned, should be prepared
for bad weather. The hurricane experienced by Captain Grey began at
South-east and ended at North-west. The lull in the centre of it showed
that the focus of the storm must have passed over that locality. Captain
Grey does not enter sufficiently into detail to enable us to trace the
veering of the wind.

(*Footnote. In volume 1 will be found mention of the bad weather met with
by the Beagle in this month on the north-west coast. For further
information on this subject see Mr. Thom's interesting Inquiry into the
Nature and Course of Storms London 1845.)

An observation I made on visiting this time the upper course of the Swan,
is worth recording. Many parts were perfectly dry, more so than any I had
seen on the Victoria, and yet I was informed that last year those very
parts were running with a good stream. It seems reasonable to infer,
therefore, that in certain seasons of the year the Victoria, though dry
in some places when I visited it, is a full and rapid river.

During our stay the Colonial schooner, Champion, returned from an
unsuccessful search for the mouth of the Hutt River, discovered by
Captain Grey in the neighbourhood of Moresby's Flat-topped Range. Near
the south end of it, however, they found a bay affording good anchorage.

ROTTNEST ISLAND.

March 25.

We moved the ship to Rottnest Island, to collect a little material for
the chart, and select a hill for the site of a lighthouse. The one we
chose lies towards the south-east end of the island, bearing North 76
degrees West (true) twelve miles and a quarter from Fremantle gaol. The
Governor and Mr. Roe accompanied us to Rottnest, where we found that a
penal establishment of Aboriginal prisoners had been formed during our
absence.

ABORIGINAL CONVICTS.

No one would say that the Australian natives cannot work, if they could
just see the nice cottages of which this settlement is composed. The
Superintendent merely gives the convicts a little instruction at first,
and they follow his di