ENTRANCE OF BASS STRAIT. 495 



hands of Mr. Gibson, from whom we received 

 great attention. The new system of letting lands, 

 recently adopted by this Company, was working 

 well ; and it certainly appeared to be a very fair 

 mode of getting their lands occupied. 



Our anchorage this time was on the south side 

 of the singular natural fortification I have before 

 described ; and whilst there we were placed in some 

 anxiety by being caught in a gale from the eastward. 

 The holding-ground, however, being very good, 



made bearing N. E. f E., which would keep ships clear of the 

 Conway and Bell sunken rocks, the former and outermost of 

 which Ues fifteen miles N. 83° W. from it. The cross set of the 

 tides should be particularly borne in mind, and likewise their 

 strength, which is sometimes 3 knots. The stream to the S. W. 

 by S. begins at 3 p. m. on the full and change days, or three 

 hours and a half before high water. The depth in the south 

 entrance varies fi-om 35 to 38 fathoms. 



I shall perhaps make this note more useful by stating that 

 January and February are the best months for making a passage 

 to the westward through Bass Strait; although easterly winds 

 blow on some rare occasions at other times, but these are mostly 

 gales, and generally terminate in a breeze from the opposite 

 quarter, having much the character of a rotatory gale, one of 

 which I have described in an early part of the work. The gales 

 that chiefly prevail in this Strait begin at N. N. W., and gradually 

 draw round by W. to S. W., at which point they subside; but if 

 the wind, before it has so much southing, veer again to the north- 

 ward of west,— or backs, as it is expressed, — the gale will con- 

 tinue ; but its duration may be told by the barometer, as it is 

 seldom fine when it registers less than 29.95, and bad weather 

 is certain if it falls to 29.70. 



N.B, The courses recommended in this note are marked in 

 the chart accompanying the work. 



