he outer route, varied from fourteen to twenty days, it
being certainly shorter than the inner, though attended with much greater
risks. One objection made against the latter is the necessity of
anchoring every evening, somewhat laborious work to the crews of merchant
ships; this might be obviated in some measure by using a light anchor,
which could be done with perfect safety in the still waters within the
reefs. We found two barques at anchor, which had arrived on the preceding
day. In accordance with a practice very generally observed, they were
giving themselves a short period of repose and relaxation after the
anxieties and danger of the outer passage; which, short as it is, has
doubtless sprinkled grey hairs over many a seaman's head.

(*Footnote. Afterwards Governor of New Zealand.)

ITS DESCRIPTION.

Although Booby Island is a mere rock, from the various associations
connected with it, being during one half of the year the constant resort
of Europeans, it becomes at once a place of interest, and imperatively
demands some notice at our hands. It is a quarter of a mile in diameter,
flat, and about thirty feet high, the summit being bare porphyry rock. A
valley intersects the north-west side of the island, in which a few
creepers, some brushwood, and two or three trees of tolerable size, with
a peculiar broad green leaf, bearing a great resemblance to that of the
wild almond of the West Indies, were seen, giving shelter to some pigeons
and quails, in which latter the island abounds, even more than in the
bird which gives its name to the locality. Still, however, from the white
colour of the top of the island, produced by the boobies, it is clearly
one of their temporary haunts; and indeed, subsequently, in the month of
September, their season of incubation, Mr. Bynoe saw them there in great
abundance. The contrary was the case with the quail, which, by that time,
had completely deserted the island. Turtle were once found on this isle,
but they are now never taken. A few of the stones mentioned by Captain
King are still to be seen on the summit.

REMARKS ON THE CORAL REEFS OF AUSTRALIA.

This being a point at which ships correct or test the going of their
chronometers, it was necessary to obtain observations for longitude. The
spot chosen for the purpose was the landing-place near the South-West
corner of the islet, and which we found to be 9 degrees 45 minutes East
of Port Essington.

Our opportunities of exa