BELLONA SHOAL, discovered, in 1793, by the ship Bellona. It may be a portion of the group. Its position is very vaguely determined as lat. 20° 54', lon. 159° 47'.

CLAUDINE'S REEF, seen in 1820, bearing 6 miles West from the South end of Booby Island or Shoal, having a clear passage between them. Lat. 21° 19' S., lon. 159o 4'.

All these last five reefs apparently form a cluster by themselves, and it is more than probable that many undiscovered dangers exist, and that many of the isolated observations made on their discovery will prove to be very erroneous.

WELSH BANK, on Capt. King's chart, is placed in lat. 21° 15' S., lon. 153° 56'. KENN'S REEF, discovered April 3, 1824, by Capt. Kenn, of the ship William Shand, consists of rocks and sand, partly above water; it is 9 miles long S. E. and N.W. Its centre is in lat. 21° 9' S., lon. 155° 49′ E.

SAUMAREZ SHOALS were seen in the Zenobia, Capt. Lihou, February 27, 1823. The North extreme is a dry bank, and it was supposed that other reefs existed to the N.W. of this. The shoal extends N. by W. and S. by E. from lat. 21° 35′ 30′′, to 21° 44' S., lon. 153° 46'.

MIDDAY REEF, discovered by Capt. R. Carns, in the Neptune, June 20, 1818. Its position, western end, was well determined, lat. 21° 52′ S., lon. 154° 20′ E. It extends to the East as far as could be seen from the mast-head, consisting of sand-banks and rocks, some just visible above water, others elevated from 5 to 20 feet. There seemed to be several passages between the banks.

WRECK REEF takes its name from the loss of the Cato and Porpoise on it in the night of August 15, 1803. It is 7 leagues long E. and W., and forms six coral reefs. The easternmost is covered with wiry grass and some shrubs, and was called Bird Islet. The spot where the wreck occurred, according to Capt. Flinders, who was on board, is in lat. 22° 11', lon. 155° 19′. The chain extends from lon. 155° 7' to 155° 28'. It is high water here at 8' 45', rise 6 or 8 feet; variation, 9° 17′ E.

AUSTRALIA REEF, discovered by Capt. Slight, 1824. It cannot be seen far off, as the sea is very smooth around it at times. Lat. 22° 45', lon. 156° 6′.

CATO BANK, discovered by the ships Porpoise and Cato, August 15, 1803. It is a dry sand-bank, small, and without vegetation. Innumerable birds flock around it. Its situation, according to Capt. Flinders, is in lat. 23° 6′ S., lon. 155° 23'.

CAPEL BANK. A deep coral shoal, discovered by H. M. sloop Hyacinth, June 8, 1835. The least depth found on it was 32 to 40 fathoms, red and white coral, and white sand.

was not ascertained.

Lat. 24° 14′ 51" S., lon. 159° 18' 15". Its whole extent

To the westward of New Caledonia there appears to be a series of detached shoals, which run in a direction somewhat parallel to that of the mountain ridges which compose that large island and its reefs. Perhaps there may be some geological connexion between this parallelism, and more dangers may be found in the same line.

The dangers hitherto announced are as follow:

GRIMES' SHOAL, placed on Norie's chart, 1825, without a name, in lat. 23°53′ S.,

lon. 165° 10' E, is made by Capt. Grimes, of the Woodlark, to be 25 miles West of this, so that its longitude may be about 165° 0′ E. He describes it as having 10 fathoms least water on it.*

HAMOND ISLAND.-An island announced from report (without a name), by Commander Hamond, R.N. We have therefore placed his name to it. It is in lat. 22° 30′ S., lon. 162° 51' E.

TAMAR REEF. A dangerous shoal, on which the Tamar of Sydney struck, in lat. 21° 21' S., lon. 161° 36′ E. It is reported to extend a long distance to the N.W.; perhaps it is connected with the following.

A SHOAL in about lat. 20° 5' S., lon. 160° 30′ E., as reported to Capt. Simpson. The NEW SHOAL, as it is called by the whalers, is very imperfectly laid down on the chart, as different authorities vary greatly as to its position; it is said to be in lat. 20° 55′ S., lon. 160° 28' E. It is covered, but the sea breaks very heavy on it.+

MIDDLETON ISLAND is very high, with a remarkable peak. Its position is doubtful. Capt. Flinders informed Mr. Purdy that he was uncertain of its place. Mr. Purdy makes it in lat. 27° 58', lon. 159° 30'. Capt. Flinders places it a degree to the eastward.

MIDDLETON SHOALS.-An extensive reef, also doubtful as to situation, is placed in lat. 29° 10', lon. 158° 22′.

ELIZA REEF, on which the Eliza was wrecked in 1831, is in lat. 29° 30' S., lon. 158° 30', from the observations of the Fairy cutter, sent from Sydney to examine the wreck.

SHOAL, discovered by the ships It appeared to be of a circular form, centre, and a few rocks, like negro

SERINGAPATAM and ELIZABETH Claudine and Marquis of Hastings, 1820. 3 miles in circuit, with deep water in the heads, on the edges, which elsewhere are covered, the sea running high over them. Lat. 30° 5', lon. 159° 0'.

FAVOURITE SHOAL, doubtful, is placed in lat. 26° 6', lon. 160° 0'.

LORD HOWE'S ISLAND was discovered February 17, 1788, by Lieutenant Ball, commanding the Supply. It is about 6 miles long, N.N.W. W. and S.S.E.E. On the N.E. and eastern parts are several islets and rocks from 1 to 2 miles' distance. There is a small settlement on the North end, according to Capt. Bethune, where pigs and potatoes may be got in small quantities. The Admiralty Rocks, on the North side of the island, are dangerous. The highest part of the island is called Mount Gower, and is about 2,500 feet high, visible 20 leagues off.

Nautical Magazine, February, 1844, p. 99.

+ Ibid.; November, 1848, p. 574; July, 1847, p. 379.

Hunter's Historical Journal.

BALL'S PYRAMID lies about 10 miles S.E., by compass, from Lord Howe's Island. This, too, may be seen at 12 leagues' distance. It is a rock surrounded by other and dangerous rocks. There appears to be an islet or two off its N.W. end. The reefs on its South side are dangerous. The channel between Ball's Pyramid and Lord Howe's Island appeared to be clear. Capt. Bethune, in H.M.S. Conway, made the latitude of the islet off the N.E. end of Lord Howe's Island to be in 31° 22′ 35′′ S., and the longitude of Ball's Pyramid, 89 5′ 59′′ E. of Port Jackson, or 159° 24'.*

The COAST of AUSTRALIA, to the northward of Sandy Cape, is fronted with the innumerable coral reefs previously alluded to. Horsburgh therefore recommends this cape to be taken as a point of departure, and, in proceeding to the northward, not to go to the eastward of its meridian.

SANDY CAPE is in lat. 24° 42', lon. 153° 20′, according to Flinders. It is the North extremity of an extensive sterile island, called Great Sandy Island. The eastern point of this, Indian Head, was thus named by Cook, in 1770, from the crowd of natives on it. It is in lat. 25° l', lon. 153° 26'. To the S. E. of it a bank of 9 fathoms has been reported, Gardner Bank, in lat. 25° 25′, lon. 154° 0′.

CAPE MORETON is the next point of importance to the southward. It is in lat. 27° 1', lon. 153° 30'. It is the N.E. point of Moreton Island, and visible from a ship's deck 8 leagues off; when first seen it appears detached, as the land between it and the higher parts of the island is very low. The North channel into Moreton Bay is about a mile to the northward of this, and to the southward of Flinder's Rocks, the only outlying danger, 3 miles N.N.E. from the cape. The channels are buoyed, and whalers will find it a good place for wood and

water.

CAPE BYRON is the easternmost cape of Australia. It is in lat. 28° 38', lon. 153° 40'. It is a small steep head, projecting 2 miles from the low land, and in coming along the coast makes like an island. There are three rocks on its North side; and at 8 or 9 leagues in a N. 57° W. direction from it is Mount Warning, the peaked top of a mass of mountains, 3,300 feet high, the highest land on this coast.

The coast to Shoal Bay, a small plain 50 miles to the southward, is mostly low and sandy, and the soundings at from 2 to 4 miles off vary from 10 to 32 fathoms, sandy bottom. There is nothing particular on the coast.

SMOKY CAPE, in lat. 30° 56', lon. 153° 6', has three hummocks standing upon so many projecting points. Southward of it the coast is generally low and sandy, but its uniformity is broken at intervals by rocky points, which at first appear like islands.

The THREE BROTHERS are an excellent landmark for this coast. These three hills lie from 1 to 5 miles behind the shore, at the eastern extremity of a range of land, coming out of the interior country. The northernmost hill is the broadest, most elevated, and nearest the sea, visible 50 miles from a ship's deck. It is in lat. 1° 43', lon. 152° 47'.

Nautical Magazine, November, 1840, p. 760.

The entrance to PORT MACQUARIE is in lat. 31° 25', lon. 152° 57'. The bearing of the Brothers will point out its position, which is also marked by a signal station.

PORT STEPHENS is an excellent harbour. Its entrance opens between two high headlands, Yacabah and Tamarec. The land is remarkable about this part, as the hills near its mouth, when seen at 6 or 7 leagues from the S.E., appear like a group of islands in the form of sugar-loaves. Barroinee Point is in lat. 32° 40′ 45′′, lon. 152° 4′ 15′′.

PORT HUNTER, important on account of the coal mines it contains, is 8 leagues W.S.W. of Port Stephens. The court-house of the town of Newcastle is in lat. 32° 55′ 50′′, lon. 151° 48′ 45′′.

BROKEN BAY, into which the River Hawkesbury falls, is so called from the appearance of its shores. It contains several excellent anchorages.

part is in lat. 33° 34', lon. 151° 20′.

The South

PORT JACKSON is the principal harbour on this side of the Pacific, and well deserves the pre-eminence it has attained. It is easy of approach, and affords every advantage as a port. The following are Capt. P. P. King's directions::

Port Jackson is a safe and excellent harbour; a ship may run in between the heads without fear, for the passage is clear, the coast pretty steep on both sides, and as the sea breaks on the rocks, even in fine weather, it shows all those that are a little detached from the shore.

On the Outer South Head stands the lighthouse or Macquarie tower. near the edge of the highest cliff, which is 255 feet in height. It is 100 feet high, so that the light is 355 feet above the sea at low water. It revolves in every half minute, and is excellent. It may be seen from the eastward from all points between S. by E. and N. by E. by compass. The lighthouse stands in lat. 33° 51' 11" S., lon. 151° 18′ 12". On the same high ridge, and about a quarter of a mile more to the northward, stand a flag-staff and semaphore, which communicate with Sydney.

About 14 miles N.N.W. (magnetic) from the lighthouse, the ridge breaks down to a low rocky point, called the Inner South Head, from which a broad reef projects more than a cable's length; but as from this point the Inner and Outer Heads bear N.N.E. and N.E. by E. (magnetic), and are three-quarters of a mile and 1 mile distant, there is abundant room to work into the mouth of the harbour. If the wind hang from the southward, it would be imprudent for a stranger to work past the Sow and Pigs, the only danger of importance in Port Jackson; he may therefore anchor anywhere between the Middle and South Heads, according to the wind, and wait there for a pilot, who readily comes on board when the signal has been made in the offing.

To sail in with a leading wind, steer for Middle Head, a projecting cliff that faces the entrance, until the harbour opens round the Inner South Head, half a mile inside of which lies the Sow and Pigs, or Middle Ground. This is a bank of sand and rocks about 400 fathoms in length, and 150 in breadth, its length being in the direction of the harbour. A small portion of it is dry, and consists of a few rocks, upon which the sea almost always breaks; they form the outer end of

the shoal, and are in the line of bearing of the Outer North and Inner South Heads. The south-western tail of the bank is chiefly sand, with rocks scattered about; but on the greater portion of it there are 12 feet water, which gradually deepens to 3 fathoms beyond the rocky limits of the shoal. There is a safe channel on either side, and the choice must depend on the direction of the wind. Whatever danger there may have been in former times from this shoal, they have been all obviated by the light-vessel which was moored on it in August, 1836. It is moored in 22 feet (low water, spring tide), at the distance of 190 yards N.W. (by compass) from the beacon on the dry part of the Sow and Pigs Shoal, and at about 60 yards outside of a rock detached from the shoal, in the direction of the beacon, over which there are only 7 feet water, and will exhibit two lights placed one over the other.

The following directions were given by Mr. Nicholson, the harbour master, at the time of placing the vessel :

In entering with a southerly wind.-Being at half or three-quarters of a mile from the shore under the lighthouse, steer N.W. until the light-vessel is seen over the extremity of the Inner South Head, then haul up to W.N.W. until it bears to S. W., which will lead clear of the Inner South Head; haul to the wind, keeping the light-vessel on the larboard bow; pass her on the larboard hand, and in turning to windward between the shoal and the land, come no nearer the former than to bring the flat-roofed house (being the third to the right or to the westward of the windmills) in sight over the bluff of Point Bradley. When the lighthouse bears S.E. by E. Į E. a ship is to the southward of the shoal. Another mark for having passed the shoal is, the rock called the Bottle and Glass, under a conspicuous road on the hill. By night, the mark for turning up the channel, between the Sow and Pigs and the shore, is to keep the light-vessel to the East of N.E. N.; but on approaching George's Head, vessels should stand no nearer the 3 fathom knowl than to get the light to bear N.E. until the lighthouse bears S.E. by E. E.

The least water on the knowl is sixteen feet at low water.

With a fair wind.-Enter as before directed; pass the light-vessel as close as convenient, and steer towards George's Head until the westernmost windmill is over the bluff of Bradley Point. This mark will lead over the deepest channel. In entering by night, after passing the light-vessel, steer S.W. W. until beyond the line of bearing, between the lighthouse and George's Head, or until the former bears S.E. by E. § E.

In rounding Point Bradley, which is about 14 miles above George's Head, you must avoid a rocky shelf that runs off the point for perhaps half a cable's length. You may pass on either side of Pinchgut Island; but when hauling into Sydney Cove, a wide berth must be given to a reef, which extends from point Bennilong for rather more than a cable's length, and which should not be approached nearer than in 8 or 9 fathoms water, till the eastern side of the cove is open to view.

If absolutely necessary to work through either of the channels without a pilot, go no nearer to the Sow and Pigs than 34 fathoms at low water, unless the vessel is small, nor within a cable's length of the shore, for although it is bold in most