of the peak, where the foot of the
white man, had perhaps but once before rested, will easily be understood.
Below to the eastward stretched a vast expanse of water, broken at the
distance of about eight miles, by a long narrow line of detached reefs,
on which there ran a white crest of foaming breakers, marking the outer
edge of the Great Barrier, a name which few seamen could hear with
indifference when in its vicinity. If I felt emotions of delight, on
first perceiving the extent of a danger so justly dreaded, how much
stronger must have been the feelings of Captain Cook, when from the same
spot years before, he saw by a gap in the line of broken water, there was
a chance of his once more gaining the open sea, after being confined to
the eastern shores of the Australian continent, for a distance of 750
miles.

Though the dangers of this inner channel had proved so nearly fatal to
his ship, the truth of the homely adage, which describes all as happening
for the best, was here fully borne out, as the very fact of his position
enabled Captain Cook to make considerable discoveries along the
coast--just as by the mishap on Endeavour Reef, the presence of a river
was made apparent, and some slight knowledge of the aborigines obtained,
as well as numerous facts illustrative of the natural and vegetable
productions of the locality.

PROVIDENCE CHANNEL.

Little did he think at that time, however, when standing on the summit of
the peak, that he was about as it were to thread the eye of a needle, by
passing through another break, in a manner which can only be designated
as providential. This gap in the great reef is now known as Providence
Channel, a name which must ever remind us of Him, who in moments when our
lives hang as by a thread, is ever watchful, and spares us in the
exercise of his inscrutable will.

Carried back to times past, we stood upon the summit of the height,
dwelling in thought upon the adventurous career of the great navigator,
when suddenly, as if by magic, the whole scene below and around was
obscured, and we found ourselves wrapped in a dense cloud of vapour,
which came sweeping across the island, drenching us to the skin, with a
rapidity which spoke volumes for the penetrating character of an
Australian fog. Cold and shivering we hailed the temporary re-appearance
of the sun with delight, and our clothes were dried almost as speedily as
they had been wetted. Our satisfaction was however but of shor