418 FLINDERS ISLAND 



a fact that should be borne in mind by masters of 

 vessels, until this part of the coast is properly 

 surveyed. 



The error I found in the position of Twofold Bay 

 induced me to commence our survey there, for the 

 purpose of ascertaining the position of Cape Howe,* 

 which I discovered to be rather more out in longi- 

 tude ; while the islet, instead of lying off it, lies 

 four miles to the south-west. 



Leaving, we again spent several days under a close 

 reefed main-topsail and a reefed fore-sail ; but at 

 length reached an anchorage on the eastern shore 

 of Flinders Island within the north-east side of a 

 granitic lump called Babel Islet. The flood tide 

 came from the north-east at this anchorage, which 

 can only be used in easterly winds. There is a curious 

 dome on the inner side of Babel, which is connected 

 by a sandy spit with the large island. Within the 

 eastern point of the latter are the remarkable pyra- 

 midal hills, called the Patriarchs, rising out of a 

 scrubby plain, much cut up with lagoons, which forms 

 the characterof this side of Flinders. We were 

 enabled to fix the eastern shore of the island, from 

 Babel Islet and the outer Patriarch, whence the view 

 was commanding. A range of bare-topped hills lies 

 to the west, whilst to the south-west, through a mass 



* This Cape, in lat. 38o Sl'OO" S. and long. 1" 14' 15" W. of 

 Sydney, although rather low, is of bold approach, and admirably 

 situated for a lighthouse. Others erected on Montague Island 

 and Point Perpendicular, would light the whole coast as far as 

 Sydney. 



