AREIVE IN SIGHT OF NEW GUINEA. 251 



most, in lat. 10^ 53' S. and long*. 150° 59' E.), the 

 former, a g-roup of four, of which the largest 

 measures two and a half miles in leng-th, while the 

 smallest is a remarkable p}Tamidal projection, to 

 Avhich the name of Bell Eock was g"iven,— this last 

 is situated in lat. 10° 57^' S. and long-. 151° 2' E. 



Avg. 12th. — AVe saw in the distance part of the 

 hig'h land of New Guinea in the neighbourhood of 

 where its south-east cape has been conjectured to be, 

 and approached within a few miles of the Dumoulin* 

 Islands, a grouj) of four rocky isles, the westernmost 

 of which is 400 feet high, and less than a mile in 

 length ', there are besides five rocks, some of con- 

 siderable size. The Dumoulin Isles are inhabited, 

 and appear fertile, — they are tolerably well-wooded 

 with small trees and a sprinkling of cocoa-palms. 

 In standing' off for the night, the water suddenly 

 shoaled from no bottom with 80 fathoms to casts of 

 16 and 12 fathoms, of coral, and sand and shells, 

 and then deepened ag'ain as we went out. One is 

 inclined to suspect that this may be a submarine 

 extension of the barrier reef. 



The Bramble meanwhile had been ordered in to 

 look for anchoraofe, and found it under the lee of 

 the laro-est island in 25 fathoms. She remained in 

 that neig'hbourhood for several days while we were 

 beatino; about at sea. Several of the Dumoulin 



* The hydrographical engineer attached to D'Urville's last 

 expedition, and the constructor of most of the charts pubUshed 

 in the Hydrographical x\tlas of *' Voyage au Pole Sud, &c." 



