TORRES STRAIT. 369 



bestowed, since no more sure road to immortality 

 can be pointed out, than giving a name to the great 

 and imperishable works of the Creator's hand. It 

 was not however until 1770, that the world received 

 full confirmation of this great acquisition to our 

 geographical knowledge ; the immortal Cook then 

 passing through and settling the question of its 

 existence. This being the high road between our 

 growing Eastern and Australian possessions, the 

 reader will at once see the importance which must 

 ever attach to the discovery, and will the more 

 readily comprehend our enlarging in some degree 

 upon the circumstance. 



July 13. — There had been noticed last evening 

 a slight rippling outside the bay, and on leaving 

 this mornino; we found it to be a ridg^e about two 

 cables width, the least water on it being three 

 fathoms. From the shoalest part. Mount Adolphus 

 bore N. 5& E., and Point Dicky S. ^^6° E. It 

 appeared by the ripples continuing towards the 

 north-west of York Island, that this rocky ledge 

 extended in that direction. Vessels entering Black- 

 wood Bay may always avoid this shoal, by keeping 

 close to Point Dicky, or by steering for Mount 

 Adolphus, when it bears N. E. ^ N. 



Being desirous to know if there were a practi- 

 cable channel through Endeavour Strait, by which 

 the inconvenience before alluded to, of passing 

 the reef fronting Hammond's Island late in the 



VOL. I. 2 B 



