trends North-North-West 1/2
West for seventeen miles. The south end of Mermaid's Shoal is in 17
degrees 12 minutes South, and 119 degrees 35 minutes East, and extends to
the northward for seven miles; but its termination in that direction was
not seen. The edges of all these reefs are steep to; and no bottom was
obtained with one hundred and eighty fathoms. Within the reefs, however,
there is a bank of soundings of the depth of from one hundred and seventy
to one hundred and twenty fathoms. (See Horsburgh volume 1 page 101.)

MINSTREL'S SHOAL (see Horsburgh's Supp. page 52) its north-east end is in
17 degrees 14 minutes South, and 118 degrees 57 minutes East, or 5
degrees 28 minutes East by chronometer, from the coast of New Holland in
latitude 23 degrees 10 minutes South. The longitude of that part of the
coast by my survey, is 113 degrees 42 minutes; this will make the
Minstrel's Shoal in 119 degrees 10 minutes, which agrees very well with
Clerke's Reef, the centre reef of Rowley's Shoals, of which it is
certainly the north end; so Captain Horsburgh also supposes.

A ship called the LIVELY was wrecked on a coral reef in about 16 degrees
30 minutes South, and 119 degrees 35 minutes East.

RITCHIE'S REEF, or the Greyhound's Shoal. The situation of this reef is
recorded by Captain Horsburgh (see Supp. page 38) to be in latitude 19
degrees 58 minutes, and longitude 114 degrees 40 1/4 minutes; but, by a
letter published in the Sydney Gazette by Lieutenant Ritchie, R.N., the
commander, it would appear to be in 20 degrees 17 minutes 40 seconds,
longitude by lunars 114 degrees 46 minutes 6 seconds.

ROCK OFF VAN DIEMEN'S LAND.

The Russian ship RURICK, in 1822, saw a dry rock above water off the
south-east coast of Van Diemen's Land, in latitude 44 degrees, and
longitude 147 degrees 45 minutes.

A rock was also seen by the ship LORD SIDMOUTH in 1819, in latitude 43
degrees 48 minutes, and longitude 147 degrees 15 minutes.

...

APPENDIX A. SECTION 8.

DIRECTIONS FOR THE PASSAGE WITHIN THE REEFS THROUGH TORRES STRAIT.

INNER ROUTE.

The passage recommended by Captain Flinders for passing through Torres
Strait us by entering the reefs at Murray's Island; by which route a
two-days' passage will carry a ship past all danger: but, as the space
between Wreck Reef and Murray's Island is strewed with dangers, many of
which have been discovered since the publication of his charts, and of
which the greater number have o