ing South 73 degrees East ten miles. A valley or ravine, through
which probably a rivulet* runs in the wet season, bore North 83 degrees
East two miles, and a singular large patch of sand, 270 feet above the
sea, North 22 degrees East two miles and a half. North of this patch the
land changes its appearance; the bare sandhills cease, and a steep-sided
down, 300 feet high, faces the coastline. Our track was from two to three
miles from the shore, in 19 and 22 fathoms, fine white sand; a heavy surf
washing the beach. South-east of the Menai Hills the country appeared
much broken, with high table ranges of from 4 to 700 feet.

(*Footnote. This (in latitude 28 degrees 25 minutes South) may have been
one of the rivers discovered by Captain Grey, but which it was impossible
for us to determine, as no account of them had been left with the
Surveyor-general, Mr. Roe.)

It was now necessary to resume our examination of the Abrolhos, and
thirty-one miles on a West 1/4 South course, brought us between two
groups of them, where we anchored for the night in 23 fathoms. The
soundings in standing across Geelvink Channel, were 22 and 26 fathoms,
fine white sand; the current ran North-North-West, a mile an hour.

April 11.

At daylight we found that the summit of a large island, in the centre of
the group to the northward, bore North 21 1/2 degrees West about nine
miles.

GOOD FRIDAY HARBOUR.

We now beat to the southward in search of a harbour, where the ship might
lie in safety whilst we went to work with the boats, and were fortunate
enough to discover one close to the north-east point of a large island
lying in the centre of the group to the southward; which we named Easter
Group, and the harbour Good Friday Harbour, to commemorate the season of
the Christian year, at which we visited it. Perhaps at some future
period, when the light of the gospel shall have penetrated to every part
of the vast Australian continent, these sacred names, bestowed by us upon
some of its outworks, may be pronounced with pleasure, as commemorative
of the time when the darkness of ignorance and superstition was just
beginning to disperse.

Good Friday Harbour, like all coral harbours, requires to be taken by
eye, being full of coral knolls, which necessitate the utmost vigilance.
In itself, however, it is an excellent port, capable of holding a large
number of ships, and with a general depth, between the coral patches, of
from 15 to 17 fathoms, wi