72 POET DALRYMPLE. 



in Port Dalrymple, on the northern coast of Van 

 Diemen's Land^ and remained there sufficiently 

 long to obtain rates for the chronometers, and con- 

 nect it by meridian distance Tsith William's Town, 

 and Sydney.* The two lig-hthouses of Banks' 

 Strait only now remained unvisited, that on the 

 Kent Group, and another on Cape Otway, having 

 been left to Lieut. Yule. 



March 3r-<Z.— With the help of a strong westerly 

 wind we reached Goose Island at 5 p.m., and a 

 party from the ship landed immediately after an- 

 choring. The island is one and a half miles in 

 length, by one in greatest breadth. The rock is a 

 coarse sienite, forming detached bare masses and 

 ridges, but none of considerable height. In the 

 hollows the soil appears rich, dark, and pulverulent, 

 with much admixture of unformed bird-guano. The 



Stokes, Commander, R.N., and to the Admiralty chart hy Capt. 

 Stokes. On this subject I find a MS. note by Capt. Stanley : 

 " Stokes has mentioned in his chart that ' there is little or no 

 tide in Bass' Strait.' Such may be the case, but I have in- 

 variably found a very strong current, depending both as to force 

 and direction upon the prevailing winds. On one occasion, during 

 a vresterly gale, it set to the eastward with a velocity of at least 

 three knots per hour. I mention this circumstance, as, from 

 Capt. Stokes' remarks, strangers might be led to suppose there 

 were no currents in the Strait, and neglect to take the usual pre- 

 cautions." 



* It is unnecessary to give separately the various meridian dis- 

 tances obtained by the Rattlesnake and Bramble, as these will be 

 found, with the various circumstances affecting their value, in the 

 Appendix. 



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