ARRIVE AT SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 397 



against the eastern sky that glowed with the pure 

 light of morning ; whilst the country between was 

 clothed with trees of such magnitude that their 

 verdant summits could be seen, over the coast sand- 

 hills, stretching away in one sea of foliage as far as 

 the eve could reach. 



The course we held led us within five miles of 

 the north side of Naturaliste Reef,* in 29 fathoms ; 

 the depth we found sixteen miles west of it was 

 60 fathoms, and half a mile south of it 26 fathoms. 

 It partakes of the error in latitude previously dis- 

 covered in Cape Naturaliste, which is distant six- 

 teen miles, and bears, when over the centre of it, 

 S. 2^° W. (true.) 



Being desirous of confirming our meridian dis- 

 tances along the south coast, we visited for the pur- 

 pose King George's Sound and South Australia, at 

 which latter place we arrived on the morning of 

 January 26th, 1842. Since our former visit, a 

 change had taken place in the governorship of the 

 colony ; and though it was with great regret that 

 we learnt Colonel Gawler had left for England, we 

 were glad he had found a worthy successor in our 

 brother explorer Captain Grey. 



His Excellency and the merchants expressing a 

 wish that the Beagle should visit the port, no man of 

 war having yet done so ; and being anxious myself to 

 examine the capabilities of the place, as well as to 



* A circular patch of breakers half a mile in extent, with, ac- 

 cording to report, six and nine feet water on it. 



