THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 167 



REPORT OF EXPEDITION TO FURNEAUX GROUP. 



By Joseph Gabriel, F.L.S. 



(Read before Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria, Ibth Jan., 1894.^ 



The islands forming this interesting group are situated near 

 Tasmania, at the eastern entrance of Bass Straits, and are crossed 

 by the 40th degree of south latitude — commonly called the 

 "roaring forties " — and are, of course, subject to the usual vagaries 

 of storm and tempest which that latitude bestows. 



The group was first discovered by Captain Tobias Furneaux, 

 in 1773. Furneaux started in company with the navigator Cook, 

 but at that time was separated from him. Furneaux was steering 

 up the east coast of Tasmania, and, when abreast of the group 

 that now bears his name, stood over for New Zealand, recording 

 as his opinion that " there is no strait between New Holland 

 and Van Diemen's Land, but a very deep bay." The next 

 mention of the islands was when Captain Hamilton, in 1797, ran 

 a leaky ship ashore on the south end of the group, and a Mr. 

 Clarke with a boat's crew, making for Sydney for relief, was again 

 wrecked near Cape Howe. Eventually some of the party 

 succeeded in reaching Port Jackson, and the colonial schooner 

 Francis made two or three trips to the scene of the disaster on 

 the Furneaux Group. During one of these trips the explorer 

 Flinders was a passenger. Amongst other places in his geo- 

 graphical researches he named the Patriarchs, three remarkable 

 hills on the island that bears his name, and the tower-like Babel 

 Island on the east coast. 



Although lying near the track of the Melbourne, Hobart, and 

 New Zealand steamers, a distance of only 230 miles from 

 Melbourne, they are comparatively unknown to the great body of 

 our people. Yet these islands were the homes of white men long 

 before Victoria was colonized. The islands number about fifty, 

 the chief of which are Flinders, Cape Barren, Clarke, The 

 Hummocks, Chappell, Sisters, Green, and so on. The population 

 numbers about 250, half-castes and whites being in about equal 

 proportions. 



It was decided by the Club that the annual camp-out of 1893 

 should be on these islands, and in response to the usual notice, eight 

 members sent in their names expressing their willingness to join 

 the party. Unfortunately, through unforeseen circumstances, the 

 number was reduced to four members — viz., Messrs. J. Gabriel 

 (leader), A. J. Campbell, T. G. Campbell, and H. Ashworth, who, 

 with two others, Messrs. J. F. Bradley and H. Gundersen,who have 

 since joined the Club, formed the little party which, on nth 

 November, met on board the steamer Alert to do honour to the 

 Field Naturahsts' Club. 



iith November. — Soon after noon we started with good 



