128 ROTTENEST ISLAND. 



tain Grey began at S. E. and ended at N. W. 

 The lull in the centre of it shewed that the focus 

 of the storm must have passed over that locality. 

 Captain Grey does not enter sufficiently into detail 

 to enable us to trace the veering of the wind. 



An observation I made on visiting this time the 

 upper course of the Swan, is worth recording. 

 Many parts were perfectly dry, more so than any I 

 had seen on the Victoria, and yet I was informed 

 that last year those very parts were running with a 

 good stream. It seems reasonable to infer, there- 

 fore, that in certain seasons of the year the Victoria, 

 though dry in some places when I visited it, is a 

 full and rapid river. 



During our stay the Colonial schooner, Champion, 

 returned from an unsuccessful search for the mouth 

 of the Hutt River, discovered by Captain Grey in the 

 neighbourhood of Moresby's Fat-topped Range. 

 Near the south end of it, however, they found a bay 

 affording good anchorage. 



March 25. — We moved the ship to Rottenest 

 Island, to collect a little material for the chart, and 

 select a hill for the site of a light-house. The 

 one we chose lies towards the south-east end of the 

 island, bearing N. 76° W. (true) twelve miles and 

 a quarter from Freemantle gaol. The Governor 

 and Mr. Roe accompanied us to Rottenest, where 

 we found that a penal establishment of Aboriginal 

 prisoners had been formed during our absence. 



