368 AUSTRALIA : 



In a part of this great barrier, between lat. 11 20' and 

 12 20', the line of reefs, instead of being straight or gently 

 curving, is sharply deflected into convolutions, forming deep 

 bays with detached reefs outside. In one of these bights, 

 having an entrance six miles wide and stretching eight miles 

 inwards, such is the depth that no bottom was reached except 

 close to the reefs, though a line of nearly 300 fathoms was 

 thrown out. This extraordinary spot was called Wreck Bay ; 

 and with melancholy fitness of name, as Captain Blackwood 

 found lying on the reef near it the wrecks of two large 

 vessels (the Ferguson and Martha Ridgway), lost here in 1840 

 and 1841 ; the former having part of the 50th regiment on 

 board. Happily the presence of another vessel in company 

 prevented in this case any loss of life. In singular contrast 

 to this disastrous history of this place, our author gives us 

 the following vivid description of one of the coral reefs in 

 its close vicinity : 



In a small bight of the inner edge of this reef was a sheltered 

 nook, where the extreme slope was well exposed, and where every 

 coral was in full life and luxuriance. Smooth round masses of 

 rnaeandrina and astraea were contrasted with delicate leaf-like and 

 cup-shaped expansions of explanaria, and with an infinite variety of 

 branching madreporae and seriatoporae ; some with mere finger- 

 shaped projections, others with large branching stems, and others 

 again exhibiting an elegant assemblage of interlacing twigs, of the 

 most delicate and exquisite workmanship. Their colours were un- 

 rivalled vivid greens contrasted with more sober browns and 

 yellows, mingled with rich shades of purple, from pale pink to deep 

 blue ; bright red, yellow, and peach-coloured nullipora? clothed the 

 masses that were dead, mingled with pearly flakes of eschara and 

 retepora, the latter looking like lace-work in ivory. In among the 

 branches of the corals, like birds among trees, floated beautiful fish, 

 radiant with metallic greens or crimsons, or fantastically banded with 

 black and yellow stripes. 



Fortunately for a spot which has acquired a melancholy 

 notoriety by these and other wrecks, the discovery was made 



