ect chart of the whole strait, to work on a smaller scale than I
could have wished. It seemed to me that detached portions on a very large
scale would be of far inferior utility to a complete survey on a
comparatively small one.

(*Footnote. This step was approved of by the Commander in chief.)

It was not, however, my being prevented from completing Bass Strait in
the manner most satisfactory to myself that occasioned the greatest part
of the regret that accompanied this summons for the old Beagle to wend
her way homewards; for we were thus also deprived of the opportunity of
gratifying our desire to explore the southern parts of New Guinea, which
we had always looked forward to as one of the most interesting parts of
our voyage, containing elements of excitement sufficient to cheer the
hearts that were yearning for home, and a character of novelty that would
have amply compensated for whatever fatigue and exertion we might have
experienced. On many occasions, during the heavy and monotonous part of
our labours, the anticipated delights of discovery refreshed our
imaginations and elevated our spirits, imparting to our most irksome
occupations an interest that did not belong to them, but was borrowed
from those hoped-for scenes of adventure on the unvisited shores of New
Guinea to which we believed that each dull day's hard work brought us
nearer. But it was not destined to be our lot to add any more new lands
to the geography of this part of the world; and H.M.S. Fly and Bramble
had been commissioned at home for surveying service in Australasia. This
expedition, under the command of Captain F.P. Blackwood, arrived at
Sydney on the 10th of October, whilst we were there, and sailed soon
after our departure, to commence tracing the outer Barrier Reefs, a
service attended with no ordinary risk, but which has been happily
completed, and a beacon erected to show vessels the best entrance,
without a mishap.

Since the early part of this work was written this valuable addition to
the survey of New Holland has induced an enterprising master of a
merchant vessel to try the eastward passage through Torres Strait. As a
proof of the practicability of this route I may state, that the above
vessel passed through Torres Strait in January, went to Sydney, and
returned for another cargo to Ballytown, in Allas Strait, by the May
following. This passage, an account of which has been published in the
Nautical Magazine, was made through t