in three and a
half fathoms, North Wallis Island bearing South-West five miles.

BOOBY ISLAND.

I saw at the time from the masthead, a blue streak of water to the
southward, still affording hopes of there being a deep outlet to
Endeavour Strait; but as the day was far advanced, with a fresh breeze
from East-South-East, it was not deemed prudent to get the ship entangled
in shoal water; therefore, after crossing the ridge extending off Cape
Cornwall we steered North-West 1/2 West for Booby Island, in regular
soundings of six and seven fathoms, and late in the afternoon anchored
nearly a mile from its western side, a flagstaff bearing South 65 degrees
East. This we found on landing had been erected in 1835 by Captain
Hobson,* of H.M.S. Rattlesnake, who at the same time placed in a large
box, made for the purpose, a book with printed forms, which every ship
passing filled up, with the addition of such remarks as were thought of
consequence. Over this box in large letters were painted the words Post
Office, a name by which Booby Island must be quite familiar to all who
have navigated these seas; ships being here in the habit of leaving
letters for transmission by any vessel proceeding in the required
directions. I noticed a similar practice prevailing among the whalers at
the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific. We are indebted for the book to the
public spiritedness of an Indian army officer. The beneficial results of
the plan were experienced by ourselves, as here we first heard of the
Port Essington expedition, having passed eight months previously; also of
the schooner Essington, that left Sydney in advance of the expedition for
that place, having succeeded in determining the fact of the non-existence
of the other young D'Oyly, one of the passengers of the ill-fated Charles
Eaton. This result of the enterprising merchant-man's researches, fully
bears out the fact mentioned by Captain King, on the authority of the
Darnley islanders, that he shared the fate of his parents, being devoured
by their savage captors. All the ships which have recorded their passage
in the book, appeared to have entered the Barrier between the latitude of
11 degrees 30 minutes and 12 degrees 10 minutes; generally about 11
degrees 50 minutes reaching Sir Charles Hardy's Island the same day. They
all spoke of a strong northerly current outside the reef, in some
instances of nearly three knots. The time occupied in making the passage
from Sydney by t