oth, commandant at Port Arthur,
she was to proceed to the scene of operations near Banks Strait. In the
meantime the Beagle sailed for Sydney to receive the stores we expected
from England.

ATMOSPHERIC CHANGES.

March 10.

This was our second day from the Derwent; but owing to the prevalence of
North-East winds we had not made further progress than to be at noon,
thirty miles east from Cape Pillar. The atmospheric changes during this
day were curious. The morning broke hazy, with a moderate breeze from
North-North-East, which gradually subsiding and veering at the same time
to East-South-East, left us becalmed for three or four hours; thick
impenetrable fogs meanwhile passed at intervals to the South-West; and
whenever this obstruction to our vision was removed, could be seen a dark
heap of clouds collecting, some of which detaching themselves passed
rapidly over our heads. About three P.M. there was the sighing of a
breeze from that quarter. The barometer, also, at this time, ceased
falling and stood at 29.57, being as much as two-tenths lower than what
it was an hour before, and having fallen since eight A.M. four-tenths.

The rapid depression of the mercury was quite perceptible to the eye.
Under reduced sail the ship, like the petrel with closed wing, waited the
coming blast. A dense fog enveloped us; but an hour after the barometer
had ceased falling, it lifted up and revealed a long sheet of hissing
foam crowning the troubled waters that were rolling, urged by the
tempest, tumultuously towards us from the south-west.

RETURN TO SYDNEY.

For a while the heavy reduced canvas still flapped with a lazy swag
against the masts; but suddenly it was filled by a violent gust; and the
Beagle was hurried swiftly onwards, careering over the waves like the
misty spectre in a storm. Two hours after (six P.M.) the barometer had
risen a tenth. We now expected our passage to Sydney to be short: but the
ill luck of foul winds again attending us, it was the fifteenth before we
arrived.

CHAPTER 2.13.

Exploration of Interior.
Twofold Bay.
Survey of Bass Strait.
Dangerous situation of the Beagle.
Kent and Hogan Groups.
Gipps Land.
Wilson's Promontory.
The Tamar.
Eastern entrance of Strait.
Steam communication between India and Australia.
New Guinea.
Straitsmen.
North coast of Tasmania.
Aborigines.
Port Phillip.
Directions for ships passing King Island.
Complete survey of Bass Strait.
Farewell to Sydney.
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