208 LARGI-: SEA-SNAKE. 



two anchors a-head, there appearing to be no 

 holding ground, but simply a coating of sand over 

 a rocky ledge. During the prevalence of these winds 

 the temperature varied from G6° to 76°. 



Near Barrow's Island, on our passage, I shot 

 (from the quarter-boat) the largest sea-snake ever 

 killed. It is figured and described in the Appen- 

 dix, by Mr. J. E. Gray, as Hydrus major, and 

 measured eight feet one inch in length, by three 

 inches broad ; the colour was a dark yellow : 

 several smaller ones striped brown and white were 

 also seen. 



We found that from the Montebello Group along 

 series of reefs and small islands, the largest and 

 most central of which is called Lowendal, extends 

 towards Barrow's Island, leaving a winding chan- 

 nel* alonor the north side of the latter. Near the 



o 



centre of the western side of the reef is a cluster 

 which proved to be the long lost Tryal Rocks ; the 

 middle and largest of which is in lat. 20" 35' S. and 

 long. 0° 17' W. of Swan River.t The reef con- 



* Lowendal Island, bearing east, leads into it. 



f We recognized them from a sketch furnished by the Admi- 

 ralty, and made in 1719 by a Dutch sloop sent in search 

 of them from Batavia. They placed them eight degrees west 

 from the coast of New Holland. If we take leagues instead of 

 degrees it would bring them near their actual distance from the 

 shore. Van Keulen says they were seen in the ship Vaderland 

 Getrouw, and found to be in 20° 30" south. In 1/77 they were 

 seen by Captain Joss, of the Danish ship Frederisberg Castel, 



