ut nine on the morning of the 4th, when it had got
round to south-west. The current during this breeze set a mile and a half
East-South-East, changing again to the northward as the wind veered round
to the southward. This clearly shows how certainly, in this
neighbourhood, the movements of the air influence those of the sea.

WATER-SPOUTS.

It was the evening of the 5th before all was again clear overhead. In the
morning, however, we shifted our berth, which had been a mile from the
south extreme of the detached cluster of islets forming the north-east
end of Easter Group. Several small water-spouts formed near the ship as
we were about to weigh, which induced us to wait a little until they
passed.

On the 8th we bore away for the northern group in 26 and 27 fathoms; the
space between was named Middle Passage.

WALLABY ISLANDS.

Passing outside of a patch of breakers, lying two miles to the northward
of the eastern islet, we hauled up south-east, and by feeling our way
with the boats got the ship into a snug harbour on the south-east side of
the highest island of the Abrolhos, which was afterwards named East
Wallaby Island; another large one, named West Wallaby Island, lying two
miles to the West-South-West with three small flat islets just between.
To these we gave the name of Pigeon Islands, the common bronze-winged
pigeon being found there in great numbers. The harbour we named Recruit
Harbour, from its affording fresh supplies of the small kangaroo, in
addition to the fish found everywhere else. Like the other ports in the
Abrolhos, it is full of coral patches; the south point of north Pigeon
Island, in one with a bare sandhill on the South-East point of West
Wallaby Island, bearing South 50 degrees West, leads into the harbour
clear of the spit on the north-west side and some coral patches on the
east. In entering we had 7 and 8 fathoms, but the depth inside is 11 and
12; it is perfectly sheltered on all sides.

These islands, after the others, of which the greatest height is 12 feet,
appear of considerable altitude; though the loftiest point rising on the
north-east extreme of East Wallaby Island, measures no more than 50 feet.
This island is upwards of a mile each way; whilst the west one is two
miles and a half long, and one broad. In the centre of the eastern is a
low flat, with hills rising all around, with the exception of the south
side.

FLAG HILL.

The loftiest, which is called Flag Hill, is, as