On the 27th we crossed over to Delambre Island, on which a large party landed in the afternoon. A few turtle were here taken, of a different kind from any we had seen before, and apparently a cross between the Hawk's Bill and the Green Turtle; several nests were also found, in one of which were 138 eggs. This island terminates, like Bezout Island, to the northward, in cliffs about 90 feet high, with deep water close to; on the east and west sides it is fronted by a reef nearly a mile in extent; but we could see no traces of those lying three miles to the North-North-West of the North-West point, laid down by Captain King. The passage between Huiy Island and Delambre is five miles wide, though clear for two miles only, and in working out we found that it had a very uneven bottom, over which a two-knot tide causes heavy ripplings. We noticed that a hill, lying nine miles to the south-west of Bezout Island, called in the chart Round-backed Hill, bearing between South 5 degrees East, and South 15 degrees East, clears the reefs on either side the channel; and that the same hill bearing South 24 degrees West leads between Bezout and Delambre, and South 8 degrees West clears the reef off the eastern side of the latter.
THE MONTEBELLO GROUP.
From Delambre we proceeded to the Montebello Islands, principally in order to set at rest two points of great interest, namely, the position of Ritchie's Reef, and of the long lost Tryal Rocks. On the 31st, in the afternoon, we anchored in 6 fathoms on the eastern side of Tremouille Island, a cliffy islet off the south-east end of which bore South 42 degrees East two miles. The tide was ebbing and setting to the North-North-East two knots an hour. We found the Montebello Group to be confined by a coral reef encircling it. The two principal islands are Tremouille and Hermite Islands. The fact that these and their neighbours are not separated in the charts fully evinced the necessity of our visit. Leaving a boat to examine them, the ship proceeded towards the northern end of Barrow's Island, being anxious to avoid the southerly winds to which the anchorage off Tremouille is exposed. These usually commenced at midnight, blowing from south-west, freshening and veering to south by 8 A.M., and by about 10 moderating at South-South-East. On our way to Barrow's Island they were so violent as to cause the ship to drive with two anchors ahead, there appearing to be no holding ground, but simply a coating of sand over a rocky ledge. During the prevalence of these winds the temperature varied from 66 to 76 degrees.
Near Barrow's Island, on our passage, I shot (from the quarter-boat) the largest sea-snake ever killed. It is figured and described in the Appendix, by Mr. J.E. Gray, as Hydrus major, and measured eight feet one inch in length, by three inches broad; the colour was a dark yellow: several smaller ones striped brown and white were also seen.
BARROW'S ISLAND.
We found that from the Montebello Group a long series of reefs and small islands, the largest and most central of which is called Lowendal, extends towards Barrow's Island, leaving a winding channel* along the north side of the latter. Near the centre of the western side of the reef is a cluster which proved to be the long-lost Tryal Rocks; the middle and largest of which is in latitude 20 degrees 35 minutes South and longitude 0 degrees 17 minutes West of Swan River.** The reef continues along the eastern side of Barrow's Island, extending off three miles; our anchorage was consequently little more than that distance from the shore. We examined the northern and eastern sides; the former is composed of red sandstone cliffy projections, separated by sandy bays, fronted for nearly two miles by a coral reef, partly dry at low-water; but the south part of the eastern side becomes very low; and where the cliffs end there is a remarkable valley trending westwards. There were recent marks of the sea many feet above the ordinary reach of the tides, bespeaking occasional strong south-east winds. A number of stony-topped hills, from 150 to 200 feet in height, were scattered over the northern parts of the island. In the valleys was a little sandy soil, nourishing the spinifex, and a stunted kind of wood sufficiently large for fuel.
(*Footnote. Lowendal Island, bearing east, leads into it.)
(**Footnote. We recognised them from a sketch furnished by the Admiralty, and made in 1719 by a Dutch sloop sent in search of them from Batavia. They placed them eight degrees west from the coast of New Holland. If we take leagues instead of degrees it would bring them near their actual distance from the shore. Van Keulen says they were seen in the ship Vaderland Getrouw, and found to be in 20 degrees 30 seconds south. In 1777 they were seen by Captain Joss, of the Danish ship Frederisberg Castel, who places them in 20 degrees 40 minutes South. It was by his description that I recognised them beyond a doubt, although his longitude would place them thirteen degrees more to the westward, and near the position they have occupied for years in the charts. The centre of them bears North by East five miles and a quarter from Cape Dupuis, the north-west point of Barrow's Island.)
NEW KANGAROO.
We found a new kind of kangaroo and wallaby on Barrow's Island; but the only specimen obtained of the former was destroyed through the neglect of the person in whose charge it was left. It was a buck, weighing fifty pounds, of a cinnamon colour on the back and a dirty white on the belly; the hair was fine and long; the head of a peculiar shape, resembling a dog's, with a very blunt nose; the forearms were very short; the hind feet cushioned like those inhabiting rocky ground. The does appeared to be much lighter; but all were very wary and scarce. From the number of red sandhills, too, scattered over the island, they were difficult to be seen at a distance. From our description of this specimen it has been named Osphranter isabellinus. With the wallaby we were more fortunate, Mr. Bynoe and myself succeeding in knocking over four, weighing from five to eight pounds; they also had blunt noses, and were of a light brown colour, quite different from those on the Abrolhos.