re discovered, except some charred
pieces of wood. Indeed I may remark that we saw signs of fire on every
part of the continent we visited. From the south extremity of the island
a long reef trended in the direction of the mainland, where Captain King
traced it extending off some distance, thus connecting with the shore the
whole of these islands, which seem to lie in a line with each other, like
the various parts of a submerged piece of land. The small isles,
especially between the Montebello Group and Barrow's Island, have all the
same direction; so that it seems fair to conclude that they were once a
part of the main, being in fact fragments of a promontory, forming a gulf
similar to Exmouth Gulf, lying on the south-west of it. I had been led to
expect this from the fact of our finding the flood-stream coming from the
north-east, whereas the direction of it in the offing is
North-North-West.

SUPPLY OF TURTLES.

Barrow's Island, being about twelve miles broad and twenty long, would,
in the event of a penal settlement being formed in this neighbourhood,
make a good second Norfolk Island. On leaving we brought away with us
seven tons of turtles from the abundant supplies its shores afforded.
Many of them we gave to our friends at Swan River on our arrival. We
cannot quit this island without reminding our readers that it was named
after the distinguished Secretary to the Admiralty, who has just retired
from office after a period of service of nearly half a century, during
which time he was the promoter of all geographical research, and mainly
instrumental in founding a society which is of growing importance to
Great Britain, and who has established a lasting reputation both by his
travels and his literary productions.

On our return to Tremouille Island Mr. Fitzmaurice joined us, having
completed the examination of the Montebello Group, a large proportion of
chart material, in a very short space of time, considering the number of
small islands, which would render it an endless labour to attempt any
description, further than that they lie something in the shape of a
scythe.

RITCHIE'S REEF.

A hill 145 feet high, the loftiest point of the group, rises near the
centre of Tremouille, the north-east island, off the north-west end of
which a ledge extends in the direction of an out-lying reef, bearing
North 55 degrees West (magnetic) nine miles and a half, which places it
in latitude 20 degrees 17 minutes South and lon