ighty miles from the mainland, likewise in the same direction.

It is also stated by Captain Flinders, that three of the English
Company's Islands which were examined, slope down nearly to the water on
their west sides; but on the east, and more especially the south-east,
they present steep cliffs; and the same conformation, he adds, seemed to
prevail in the other islands.* If this structure occurred only in one or
two instances, it might be considered as accidental; but as it obtains in
so many cases, and is in harmony with the direction of the ranges, it is
not improbably of still more extensive occurrence, and would intimate a
general elevation of the strata towards the south-east.

(*Footnote. Flinders Volume 2 page 235.)

Now on examining the general map, it will be seen, that the lines of the
coast on the mainland, west of the Gulf of Carpentaria, between Limmen's
Bight and Cape Arnhem--from the bottom of Castlereagh Bay to Point
Dale--less distinctly from Point Pearce, latitude 14 degrees 23 minutes,
longitude 129 degrees 18 minutes, to the western extremity of Cobourg
Peninsula, and from Point Coulomb, latitude 17 degrees 20 minutes,
longitude 123 degrees 11 minutes, to Cape Londonderry, have nearly the
same direction; the first line being about one hundred and eighty
geographical miles, the second more than three hundred, and the last more
than four hundred miles, in length.* And these lines, though broken by
numerous irregularities, especially on the north-west coast, are yet
sufficiently distinct to indicate a probable connexion with the
geological structure of the country; since the coincidence of similar
ranges of coast with the direction of the strata, is a fact of very
frequent occurrence in other parts of the globe.** And it is observable
that considerable uniformity exists in the specimens, from the different
places in this quarter of New Holland which have been hitherto examined;
sandstone, like that of the older formations of Europe occurring
generally on the north and north-west coasts, and appearing to be
extensively diffused on the north-west of the Gulf of Carpentaria, where
it reposes upon primitive rocks.***

(*Footnote. It is deserving of notice, that the coast of Timor, the
nearest land on the north-west, at the distance of about 300 miles, is
also nearly straight, and parallel to the Coast of New Holland in this
quarter: part of the mountainous range, of which that island consists,
being p