SWAN ISLAND. 445 



of the strait is Moriarty Bank, which extends off 

 four miles and a half east from the south-east point 

 of Clarke Island ; there is, however, a narrow pas- 

 sage of 16 fathoms close to the latter. This Bank, 

 which has a couple of rocks near its north-eastern 

 part, is steep to, and may be avoided by keeping 

 the south point of Clarke Island, to bear to the 

 southward of W.12''N. Mount William, also, bear- 

 ing S. 7° W. clears the outer end of it. 



I may here mention, that the importance of 

 Banks Strait is great, as all the trade between 

 Hobarton, Launceston, and Port Phillip, passes 

 through it. 



Swan Island is a narrow hummocky strip of land, 

 a mile and a half long, trending S. W. by W. ; the 

 loftiest part, 90 feet high, near the north end,* was 

 selected by Sir John Franklin for the site of a light- 

 house, the foundation of which he laid, after 

 resigning the reins of government ; it was the last 

 benefit he was able to confer on the colony. 



A well of indifferent water was found near the 

 north-west end of the island ; and some sealers had 

 recently turned loose a couple of pigs, to which I 

 added a third. 



Two small islets lie one mile and a half 

 W.N.W. from Swan Island, and a dangerous patch 

 of rocks, one and a quarter N. W. by W. from the 

 summit ; they are all connected with the large 

 island by shoal water. 



* In lat. 40° 43' 36" S., long. 3" 5' 50" W. of Sydney, and 

 148° 10' 10" E. of Greenwich ; variation, 10 east. 



