178 THE GEOGRAI'IIE SHOALS. 



raised from three to seven miles from the coast. 

 Several of the natives showed themselves at a dis- 

 tance, and from the numerous fires, it appeared to be 

 a well inhabited part of the continent. Still we saw 

 no appearance of a stream of fresh water ; and, 

 though there were several creeks, the only opening of 

 any consequence was forty-three miles from Depuch 

 Island. From its abounding with oysters we named 

 it Oyster Inlet. Across the mouth of it lies an 

 islet, just within the north-eastern end of which 

 there was a sufiicient depth for the Beagle. The 

 formation of the island was a reddish porous sand- 

 stone. At a native fire-place I found a piece of 

 quartz and a large pearl oyster-shell. The tide rose 

 here 15 feet near full moon. 



The only outlying dangers on this extent of coast 

 were the Geographe Shoals, two rocky patches some 

 distance from each other. The outer one was thirteen 

 miles from the main, and bore N. 22° E. twenty-three 

 miles from Depuch Island. The shore fronting the 

 north Turtle Island projects, leaving a space of only 

 ten miles between, of which, on account of the shoals, 

 only a small portion lying near the island is naviga- 

 ble. Nearly opposite the latter is another opening, 

 of some extent at high water ; but from the impedi- 

 ments that offered to our examining it, we named it 

 Breaker Inlet. During spring tides it must carry 

 a large body of water over the very low land it 

 intersects. 



The South Turtle Isle is a mere bank of sand and 



