lake on the island of Rottnest affording a large
supply of salt, any quantity of fish might easily be caught and cured.
The whole group is abundantly supplied, though nowhere so plentifully as
at Snapper Bank.

From near the south-east end of this bank the main was visible from the
Beagle's poop. Here we anchored for the night in 24 fathoms, and next
morning stood out to sea between Easter and Pelsart Groups to ascertain
if there were any more reefs to the westward, though the long unbroken
swell was almost sufficient to convince us that there were none.

SOUNDINGS BETWEEN THE GROUPS.

In a line between the outer reefs of the two groups the depth was 36
fathoms; a mile and a half further in we had 29; but outside it deepened
off suddenly to no bottom with 70, and in two miles and a half to none
with 170. Before returning we tried for bottom with 250; but, as has been
already mentioned, without success. Outside the reef we felt a current
setting a mile an hour North-North-West. In standing in again we passed
close round the north-west end of the reef encircling Pelsart Group, in
31 fathoms, and anchored in 17, just without a line of discoloured water,
which we found to have 5 fathoms in the outer part, extending across the
mouth of the lagoon; the largest island bearing South by West one mile
and three-quarters.

GUN ISLAND. DUTCH REMAINS.

April 24.

In the morning the boats were despatched on their ordinary work, and
Captain Wickham and myself landed on the largest island, a quarter of a
mile long, forming the north-western extreme of Pelsart Group, and which
we named Gun Island, from our finding on it a small brass four-pounder of
singular construction, now deposited in the United Service Museum (see
the cut annexed) with quantities of ornamental brasswork for harness, on
which the gilding was in a wonderful state of preservation; a number of
glass bottles and pipes, and two Dutch doits, bearing date 1707 and 1720.
This was a very interesting discovery, and left no doubt that we had
found the island on which the crew of the Zeewyk were wrecked, in 1727,
and where they remained so long, whilst building, from the fragments of
their vessel, a sloop, in which they got to sea by the passage between
Easter and Pelsart Groups, which has consequently been called Zeewyk
Passage. The scene of their disaster must have been on the outer reef, a
mile and three-quarters south-west from Gun Island, along which ran a
white ri