ARRIVE AT HOBARTON. 411 



it being highly desirable that I should consult with 

 His Excellency, Sir John Franklin, before we com- 

 menced the survey of Bass Strait, we proceeded di- 

 rect to Hobarton, where we arrived on the '26th. 

 The latitude of the south-west cape was determined 

 on the passage to be 4>T 35' S. : and a running 

 survey was made of the south coast of Tasmania. 



Our stay in the Derwent, during which land and 

 sea breezes prevailed, afforded me an opportunity 

 of comparing our compasses at the magnetic ob- 

 servatory, established since our last visit by the 

 Antarctic expedition, and left in charge of Lieut. 

 Key and Messrs. Dayman and Scott, officers be- 

 longing to it. This place His Excellency, who 

 took part in the observations made there, named 

 after the leader of the expedition, Ross Bank Ob- 

 servatory : I found it to be 20" west, and 1' 10", 

 north of the Beagle's observation spot in Fort 

 Mulgrave. 



Sir John Franklin, who has always taken great 

 interest in the Beagle's voyage, testified every wish 

 to afford me assistance : and in the most liberal 

 manner placed at my disposal the colonial cutter, 

 Vansittart, to assist in the survey of the Strait. 

 Messrs. Forsyth and Pascoe were selected for the 

 service, the former being in command. After 

 giving the Vansittart a slight refit, and a few altera- 

 tions which were expedited in a most praiseworthy 

 manner by Captain Booth, commandant at Port 

 Arthur, she was to proceed to the scene of operations 



