66 ARRIVE AT SYDNEY. 



ran off afirighted, leaving- behind their baskets, 

 which were filled with a small blue gTegarious crab, 

 common upon the sandy beaches. 



After leaving our anchorage under Keppel's 

 Island, we continued Avorking to the southward 

 against a strong S.E. wind. On the 24th while 

 standing in for the land, about 11 p.m., the ship was 

 suddenl}' found to be within a cable's length of the 

 rocks off the N.E. end of Facing Island, on which 

 we were fortunate in not having to spend our 

 Christmas. Next day a water-snake ( HypotropTiis 

 Jukesii) four feet two inches long was caught when 

 we were several miles off the land ; it had acciden- 

 tally been hooked by the tail by some one fishing 

 for albacore, several of which fine fish were taken 

 hereabouts. We rounded Breaksea Spit on De- 

 cember 29th, and two days afterwards arrived at 

 Moreton Bay, where we found the Bramble. 



During our stay at Yule's Roads, we had much 

 gloomy blowing weather, ynth. drizzly rain, and a 

 heavy gale from N.E. to N.N.E. After replenish- 

 ing our nearly exhausted stock of water, we sailed 

 for Sydney, which we reached on January 14th, 

 1848. During this passage we were much aided 

 by the strong current, and had usually the wind 

 between S.E. and E.S.E., with occasional calms. 



Feb. 2nd, 1848. — During our absence from Sydney, 

 and since our arrival, some events of great impor- 

 tance to the colony had occurred. Pubhc attention 

 had been strongly directed towards the question of 



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