72 PORT DALRYMPLE. 



in Port Dalrymple^ on the northern coast of Van 

 Diemen's Land^ and remained there sufficiently 

 long' to obtain rates for the chronometers^ and con- 

 nect it by meridian distance with William's To^^ n^ 

 and Sydney.* The two lig'hthouses of Banks' 

 Strait only now remained unvisited^ that on the 

 Kent Group^ and another on Cape Otwa^^^ having* 

 been left to Lieut. Yule. 



March 3r^. — With the help of a strong- westerly 

 wind we reached Goose Island at 5 p.m.^ and a 

 party from the ship landed immediately after an- 

 choring*. The island is one and a half miles in 

 leng'th^ by one in greatest breadth. The rock is a 

 coarse sienite^ forming- detached bare masses and 

 ridg-es^ but none of considerable heig-ht. In the 

 hollows the soil appears rich^ dark^ and pulverulent^ 

 with much admixture of unformed bii*d-g-uano. The 



Stokes, Commander, R.N., and to the Admiralty chart by Capt. 

 Stokes. On this subject I find a MS. note by Capt. Stanley : 

 ** Stokes has mentioned in his chart that * there is little or no 

 tide in Bass' Strait.' Such may be the case, but I have in- 

 variably found a very strong current, depending both as to force 

 and direction upon the prevailing winds. On one occasion, during 

 a westerly gale, it set to the eastward with a velocity of at least 

 three knots per hour. I mention this circumstance, as, from 

 Capt. Stokes' remarks, strangers might be led to suppose there 

 were no currents in the Strait, and neglect to take the usual pre- 

 cautions." 



* It is unnecessary to give separately the various meridian dis- 

 tances obtained by the Rattlesnake and Bramble, as these will be 

 found, M'ith the various circumstances affecting their value, in the 

 Appendix, 



