90 BEAGLE BAY. 



northern coast, — we saw nothing but the raft to the 

 south of that point. I cannot, therefore, avoid the 

 conclusion, that, misled by the similarity of ex- 

 ternal appearance, Tasman mistook the raft of un- 

 barked timber for a bark canoe, such as he may 

 have seen upon other parts of the coast. 



We had a return of the same kind of squall 

 from the eastward, as we had experienced before 

 our arrival in Roebuck Bay, and from which, 

 since that time till now, we had luckily managed to 

 escape. 



January 24. — We were again at work by day- 

 light, but were delayed, getting clear of the foul 

 ground, lying off Cape Baskerville, on which we 

 twice shoaled the water to three and five fathoms, 

 five and seven miles W. and by S. from that headland. 

 The land over it rises to an elevation of nearly 200 

 feet, and then again becomes low and sandy, open- 

 ing out a bay, which from appearance promised, 

 and wherein we afterwards found, good anchorage : 

 it was named Beagle Bay, and may serve hereafter 

 to remind the seamen who benefit by the survey in 

 which that vessel bore so conspicuous a part, of the 

 amount of his obligations to the Government that 

 sent her forth, the skill and energy that directed her 

 course, and the patient discipline by which, during 

 her long period of active service, so much w as done 

 for the extension of our maritime knowledge. In 

 the bight formed between this bay and Cape Bas- 

 kerville we passed two high water inlets ; the 



