330 pandora's entrance to anchor key. 



however, running along a narrow band in a linear 

 direction, with unfathomed water outside of them 

 (160 fathoms and no bottom), and a compara- 

 tively clear space inside, having a depth of 15 

 or 20 fathoms. As through this space the line 

 of reefs runs N. and N. by E., while the coast of 

 Australia trends to N.N.W., their distance from the 

 land is gradually increased, till, in lat. 11° 40', 

 in the parallel of Cape York, it amounts to 

 eighty or ninety miles. The whole of the inter- 

 mediate space has not yet been examined. There 

 appears, however, to be a strong body of inner reefs 

 lying a little distance off shore, between which and 

 the Barrier the sea is comparatively clear, but with 

 many small sunken patches of coral interspersed 

 about, and places where the bottom is irregular. 

 The general depth varies from 12 to 20 fathoms, 

 the bottom being coarse coral sand, with many 

 foraminifera and small detached corals and coral- 

 lines, gradually passing, as we approach the land, 

 into finer sand and detritus, and from that into the 

 finest possible mud, wholly calcareous, and lying 

 close in shore. 



At Anchor Key, in lat. 9° 20', long. 144° 12', 

 the outer Barrier terminates, no coral reef having 

 been found to the north of it, up to the coast of 

 New Guinea, except a small patch called Bramble 

 Key, and that is not an independent coral reef, but 

 a fringe round a reef of other rocks. 



At this northern end of the Barrier we again 



