lton's Road_, at the
east end of Preservation Island. This road is sheltered from all winds,
except between south and S. S. E.; and these do not throw in much sea:
the bottom is good-holding sand, in from 4 to 3 fathoms, at a quarter of
a mile from the beach.

The ship Sydney Cove had been run on shore between Preservation and Rum
Islands, and part of her hull was still lying there; but the sea thrown
in by western gales had, in great measure, broken her up, and scattered
the beams, timbers, and parts of the cargo, upon all the neighbouring
shores.

My purpose of making an expedition amongst the islands was delayed by the
schooner's boat being out of repair; but in the mean time, a base line
was measured round the sandy north-east end of Preservation Island, and
angles taken from all the conspicuous points.

Feb. 16. The boat was fitted, and I made an excursion of five days,
through the channel which separates the land of Cape Barren from the more
southern islands. It is called ARMSTRONG'S CHANNEL, from the master of
the Supply, who had gone to afford assistance in saving the cargo of the
Sydney Cove, and was the first to pass through it on his return towards
Port Jackson; but he never arrived there, having, in all probability,
perished at sea with his sloop and crew. The stations whence angles were
taken for a survey of the channel and surrounding lands, were--1st.
_Point Womat_, a rocky projection of Cape-Barren Island, where a number
of the new animals, called _womat_, were seen, and some killed. 2nd.
_Battery Island_; so named from four rocks upon it, resembling mounted
guns; sooty petrels, and large hair seals were found there. 3rd. The
sandy north-east point of Clarke's Island; which, with the opposite
_Sloping Point_, forms the narrowest part of the channel. Its width was
found to be three-quarters of a mile, but is somewhat contracted by rocks
lying on the south side. These rocks were also frequented by hair seals,
and some of them (the old males) were of an enormous size, and of
extraordinary power. I levelled my gun at one, which was sitting on the
top of a rock with his nose extended up towards the sun, and struck him
with three musket balls. He rolled over, and plunged into the water; but
in less than half an hour had taken his former station and attitude. On
firing again, a stream of blood spouted forth from his breast to some
yards distance, and he fell back, senseless. On examination, the six
balls wer