westward and northward as far as Cape
Blackwood, where the Fly's work ended, a distance equal to two degrees of
longitude.* Many large river mouths were observed, the fresh water on one
occasion extending two or three miles out to sea. The country had ceased
to present the low monotonous appearance shown to the westward, and had
become more broken with wooded hills, and on the extreme east, ranges of
lofty mountains were seen in the distance; one of these (Mount Yule)
attains an elevation of 10,046 feet. Landing was attempted only once, on
which occasion the whole party--their two boats having been capsized in
the surf, and their ammunition destroyed--were set upon by a large body
of natives and plundered of everything, even to their clothes, but not
otherwise injured, although completely at the mercy of these savages.

(*Footnote. See Admiralty Chart Number 1914.)

In company with the Bramble we sailed from Moreton Bay for the Louisiade
on May 26th. Next day it began to blow fresh, commencing at south-east
and coming up to east, and on the 28th the wind had increased to a heavy
gale from East-South-East to East. On the following morning the gale
broke, the wind having suddenly fallen and shifted round from East to
North-East and North-West by West until it became variable, and at night
died away altogether. On June 3rd we picked up the south-east trade-wind
in latitude 20 degrees 8 minutes South; and next day and those following
until we made the land, having left the beaten track from Sydney to the
outer passages leading to Torres Strait,* we hauled on a wind at night so
as to avoid going over unexplored ground. No reefs, however, were seen
between Moreton Bay and the Louisiade.

(*Footnote. See a very useful chart of the Coral Sea, constructed by Mr.
J.O. Evans, formerly master of H.M.S. Fly.)

ARRIVE AT THE LOUISIADE ARCHIPELAGO.

On June 10th (our noon position of that day being latitude 11 degrees 38
minutes South and longitude 154 degrees 17 minutes East) at daylight,
high land was seen extending from North to North-west, distant about
twenty-five miles. It proved to be the largest Ile du Sud-Est of
D'Urville's chart, and Rossel Island, the latter forming the eastern
termination of the Louisiade Archipelago. Next day we fell in with the
Bramble in the neighbourhood of Cape Deliverance of the English chart (by
Laurie) her rendezvous in case of separation; we had parted company
during the late gale, in which s