376 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION E. 



Further south we reach the tropic of Capricorn. With refer- 

 ence to this important latitude, I need only mention that it is very 

 accurately given in the old charts that we shall come to by and by, 

 and also that the numerous islands in these parts will be found duly 

 charted ; the coast bearing the name of " The coast of many 

 Islands." 



The next name of importance is Botany Bay. Everyone knows 

 that Cook called this bay " Stingray Bay," owing to the numerous 

 and large fish of that kind found there. Joseph Banks made a 

 splendid collection of plants at this place, and, it is said, the name 

 Botany Bay was given to the picturesque locality on that account. 

 It is quite possible. But it is also quite possible that Banks, seeing 

 the name " Coste des Herbaiges " on one of the old documents to 

 which I have alluded, though fit to leave the name as it occurred, 

 although on the Lusitano-Spanish charts it is set down somewhat 

 to the north of Botany Bay. 



We come now to Gabo Island. Can anyone suggest a likely 

 origin for this name ? Personally, I have failed ; but, strangely 

 enough, Cabo Hermoso, Handsome Cape, appears at this place on 

 the same old charts mentioned above. Handsome Cape would 

 correspond with Wilson's Promontory, one of the most striking 

 headlands along the eastern coast of Australia. 



Before passing on to the south of Tasmania, I may mention 

 that the old charts give a name for the straits now known as " Bass 

 Straits ; " it is called Baye Neusve (New Bay). 



I must also point out that an old narrative, albeit very incom- 

 plete and anonymous, appears to refer to this part of the world, and 

 puts on record the loss of a ship on a passage or strait situated in 

 45° of south latitude. Now, at Warnambool, on the coast of Vic- 

 toria, an old mahogany vessel, locally known as the Spanish wreck, 

 once only half-buried in the sand, still lies there, although now 

 completely silted up, and a friend of mine down there informs me 

 that shortly efforts will be made to bring to light this old relic of the 

 past. In connection with this matter we must remember that many 

 other relics exist along the coasts of Australia, and, quite recently 

 Mr. Law Hargraves has read before the A. Hist. Society some very 

 interesting papers showing that early navigators had landed on 

 these shores long before the advent of the Anglo-Saxon. 



We come now to Piedra Blanca. This is an old inscription, 

 preserved to this day on modern charts, and can only refer to some 

 early Lusitano-Spanish charting. The words mean Mewstone, or 

 literally White-stone, and indicate some basaltic rocks at the 

 southernmost end of Tasmania. 



With regard to the south coast of Australia it is not astonishing 

 that no trace of nomenclature is to be found thereon ; obviously 

 there should be none, for on all the old charts Australia and An- 

 tarctic are one. 



When de Oueiroz took possession of the southern regions, his 

 words were : ' I take possession of all the lands which I sighted 

 and am going to sight, and of all this region of the south as far as 



