38 Notes on the Discovery of some Keys in the 



we found, but limited area, and a pretty arduous task it 

 was to heave anchor and disengage ourselves from this pit 

 when the tide turned. 



" It may be gathered from the foregoing that I am inclined 

 to the opinion that before the epoch of the disruption of the- 

 coast line at the present Heads, the waters of this large 

 interior bay were at a higher level, and I believe it probable 

 that the former outlet for its surplus waters is to be found 

 in the line of the present low marshes and lakes which 

 extend from Corio Bay to the Barwon Heads. 



" The two keys in question were long in my possession, and 

 the original pencil memorandum and sketch (but unfor- 

 tunately not the precise date) still remain so. 



"The circumstances of the finding were of course well 

 known among my friends, and if I remember right, were 

 the subject of a correspondence with my friend Ronald 

 Gunn, one of the few scientific men with whom I was then 

 acquainted in Australia. I have an idea that the keys were 

 given to the Mechanics' Institute, which unfortunately 

 received from me before it went to the bad, many objects of 

 interest which are now seemingly lost. I do not recollect 

 that there was any mention of the finding of the keys at the 

 time in the Melbourne papers, but think it possible that 

 as it excited some curiosity among a few at the time, such 

 mention may have been made in the Geelong paper, then 

 conducted by Mr. Harrison. 



" My only companion at the time was, as I have said, 

 Mr. Commissioner Addis, now unfortunately no more. 



" I may still add, that circumstances during my residence 

 in the colony led to my becoming much better acquainted 

 with the character of a large extent of coast line, and of the 

 extraordinary phenomena it displays, than might have been 

 supposed. 



" Many portions of the coast, from the mouth of the Glenelg 

 to the Albert River in Gipps Land, came under my personal 

 observation; and some divisions, for instance that from 

 Portland to Cape Bunbury, east of Cape Otway, were in 

 fact explored chiefly on foot, and under circumstances which 

 have left an indelible impression upon my mind. 



(Signed) " C. J. Lateobe." 



Such is the copy of Mr. Latrobe's narrative to Mr. 

 Mollison, with verbal alterations only, such as are commonly 



