2 White, An Ornitholooical Cruise. [isf"}")' 



Mount Lofty Ranges, and was named by Capt. Matthew Flinders, 

 R.N., on 23rd March, 1802. Peron (who accompanied Baudin), 

 coming after Flinders, ignored the English name, and called it 

 Fleurieu Peninsula. About 1871 a lighthouse was built on Cape 

 Jervis. This is necessary to keep vessels passing through the 

 narrow strait (between the mainland and Kangaroo Island), known 

 as Backstairs Passage, from running upon the dangerous reef that 

 lies at right angles to the coast. There is an old native legend 

 connected with this cape. The natives are almost gone now, 

 but they tell of a great spirit named Ooroondooil, who, after 

 making the country to the east, formed the Murray or eastern 

 tribes first, then the tribes at the Murray mouth, giving to these 

 peoples all they possessed of the knowledge of life, and instructing 

 them in mysteries and strange customs to be passed on from 

 generation to generation. The great spirit then entered the water 

 at Cape Jervis and swam off to make other lands. Two of his 

 lubras or wives followed him, but were drowned, and turned into 

 stone, and are now the rocks called " The Pages." The spirit 

 Ooroondooil then made Kangaroo Island. He is still going 

 towards the setting sun, making lands and people as he goes. 

 This is one of those old legends of the natives which are known 

 to few. 



After steaming round the cape, at the entrance of Backstairs 

 Passage we met a very strong wind from the south-east, and, 

 with a rising sea, we had to give up all hope of landing upon The 

 Pages, for it is only in very favourable weather conditions that 

 a landing can be effected. Our course was now altered, and just 

 about this time a small flock of the White-breasted Petrels was 

 seen ; they kept well out of range, but even had one been shot 

 it would have been impossible to pick it up, owing to the big sea 

 that was running. We stood down along the coast of Kangaroo 

 Island, and brought up for the night, in calm water, at the entrance 

 to the Bay of Shoals, the anchor being dropped in two fathoms 

 inside Beatrice Spit. We landed before dark on the Spit, which is 

 a low sand-bank almost closing the entrance of the Bay of Shoals. 

 It is about three miles long and only a few inches above high- 

 water mark, and is mostly covered in low bush of a salsolaceous 

 nature. I remember landing here in the late seventies from my 

 father's yacht, and we could not place a foot between the nests 

 of eggs and young birds ; then a few years ago I visited the place 

 again, in company of my wife, and a sad sight met our eyes, for 

 great numbers of Cormorant bodies were lying about minus their 

 heads. Someone had been killing these birds and selling their 

 heads for the magnificent sum of one penny per head. I am glad 

 to say that is all changed now, for the Spit is proclaimed a 

 sanctuary, and the Government has shown wisdom in ceasing to 

 pay royalty on the heads of Cormorants, which, as tliis narrative 

 will indicate, are not injurious birds. 



We found Penguins in their burrows under the bushes ; Red- 

 capped Dottrels, Little Stints, Sharp-tailed Stints, Sooty and 



