THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 133 



have evidently been placed vice versa in error. This can be 

 attested to by persons who have worked at both wrecks. 



Wednesday, i6th. — Professor Spencer and Mr. Frost pushed 

 on to the Seal Rocks, at a distance of about ten miles (visited by 

 Mr. Chandler the previous day). Rest of the party visited the 

 Dripping Wells — shallow caves on the coast, of curious limestone 

 formation, about a mile and a half below the camp (Ettrick 

 River) ; and about two and a half miles further still is the cast- 

 iron tablet erected to the memory of the 399 souls who perished 

 on the 4th August, 1S45, in the appalling wreck of the Cataraqiie. 

 The tablet is fast corroding into decay. A coat of tar, if supplied 

 yearly from the lighthouse, would have been its salvation. Of 

 the superscription, all that now remains legible is the ship's 

 name, the date of the sad occurrence, and at whose instance the 

 tablet was erected. As the wreck is a matter of historical 

 interest, it may be worth while quoting the original text, line for 

 line, of the tablet, which was as follows : — 



Memorial 



of the 



Total wreck of the emigrant ship, 



Gataraque, 



From Liverpool to Port Phillip, C. N. Finlay, Master, 



on these reefs, 



4th August, 1845. 



Of four hundred and eight souls on board but nine survived. 



The chief mate, Thomas Guthrey, seven sailors, and one emigrant, 



Solomon Brown. 



This memorial records and deplores the loss of 



The master, G. N. Finlay, 



Surgeon-Superintendent, C. Carpenter, 



Assistant-surgeon, Edward Carpenter, 



Twenty-seven officers and men of the ship's company, 



Of sixty-two emigrant families, comprising 313 souls, 



Of unmarried female emigrants, 33, 



Of „ male „ 23. 



In all 399 souls. 



This tablet erected at the instance of the Local Government of Port Phillip, 



June, 1846. 



E. Langlands and Co., 



P. P. Foundry. 



In the evening all had returned to the lighthouse quarters, and 

 the morning following moved towards head-quarters, some going 

 coastwise, others inland, via Porky Lagoon. In the Currie Har- 

 bour and Porky River districts there is some of the best country 

 seen on the island. It would have well repaid a few days' 

 additional exploring and collecting, had time permitted. Thus 

 ended second west coast irip. Time occupied, four days. 

 During that period the home party had again not been idle, 

 having been to and around Cape Wickhara to the eastward. 



Friday and Saturday (i8th and 19th) specimens were securely 

 packed for exportation to Melbourne, and short excursions 



