CHAPTER XIII. 



EXPLORATION OF INTERIOR — TM^OFOLD BAY — SURVEY OF 

 BASS STRAIT— DANGEROUS SITUATION OF THE BEAGLE — 

 KENT AND HOGAN GROUPS— GIPPs' LAND WILSOn's PRO- 

 MONTORY — THE TAMAR — EASTERN ENTRANCE OF STRAIT 

 STEAM COMMUNICATION BETWEEN INDIA AND AUS- 

 TRALIA — NEW GUINEA — STR4ITSMEN — NORTH COAST OF 

 TASMANIA — ABORIGINES— PORT PHILLIP — DIRECTIONS FOR 

 SHIPS PASSING KING ISLAND — COMPLETE SURVEY OF BASS 



STRAIT— FAREWELL TO SYDNEY MORETON BAY — THE 



COMET — STATE OF TASMANIA, OR VAN DIEMEn's LAND — 

 LIGHTHOUSES IN BASS STRAIT. 



The most interesting topic of conversation on our 

 arrival at Sydney was the projected expedition into 

 the interior. Two candidates for this important and 

 deeply interesting undertaking had presented them- 

 selves — Mr. E. J. Eyre and Sir Thomas Mitchell, 

 both experienced Australian explorers. The latter 

 proposed to start from Fort Bourke on the Darling ; 

 and the former from Moreton Bay. In my own 

 humble opinion, strengthened by recent experience, 

 neither of these are practicable routes ;* or at any 



* Whilst tins sheet was going through the press, the report of 

 our greatest Australian traveller, Capt. Sturt, reached England ; 

 wherein he writes, speaking of his furthest (February, 1845), in 

 lat. 28" S, and long, about 141° 22' E. having apparently entered 



