532 
THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGER. 
patches were not seen, but the shoal patches southward of the 5 fathom patch were 
readily distinguished from aloft. When near the Ashmore Banks the position of the ship 
by bearings of them placed her considerably farther to the northward than the bearing of 
Hardy Island, which would indicate that these banks are not so far apart as shown on 
the chart. At 4.20 p.m. sail was shortened and the vessel stood on under the jib and 
spanker, with the intention of anchoring on one of the shoal patches of from 6 to 10 
fathoms ; several were passed, but they were in each case so small that before the 
ship could “round to” the depth was again 25 fathoms. Eventually the vessel was 
anchored in 10 fathoms, but slipped off into 21 fathoms, the anchorage bearings being 
right extremity of Hardy Island S. 68° W., and the south small island S. 44° W. The 
weather was very misty, the trade wind strong, and there was a nasty sea which made 
it necessary to veer 125 fathoms of cable. 
On the 1st September the anchor was weighed, aud sail made at 7 a.m., the vessel 
standing towards the Cockburn Beef, which was sighted at 7.30 a.m. The route pursued 
was that recommended by the sailing directions and chart, the position of the ship being 
fixed by the Cockburn and Hardy Islands, the main reliance, of course, being placed in the 
lookout from aloft, which duty was personally undertaken by the Captain. When abreast 
of the sandbank on the small reef just to the northwestward of the northwest point of the 
Cockburn Beef, the ship passed between it and the reef, steering towards the Bird 
Islands, no bottom being obtained at 20 fathoms with the deep-sea lead. At 0.30 p.m. 
the vessel passed Halfway Island, and at 2.30 p.m. between Cairncross Islands and Bushy 
Bocks. At 5 p.m. York Island was seen in line with Osnaburgh Point, unci a course 
shaped for Port Albany, and, shortening sail, the ship proceeded into the pass under 
steam, and was moored opposite the settlement at Somerset at 6 p.m. The wind was 
fresh all day, the ship going 10 knots per hour, and making, with the current, 1 1^ knots 
over the ground ; the atmosphere was very misty. 
Somerset, Cape York. 
As the vessel entered Albany Pass every one was struck with the strange appear- 
ance of the wonderful Termite hills, which stood in numbers on each grassy point, 
some 12 feet in height, red pinnacles looking like the chimneys of pottery kilns (see 
PI. XX.). 
The half dozen houses of the settlement are those built originally by the marines, who 
were taken away in 1867. They are one-storied wooden bungalows, situated on the 
hills which rise on each side of a bay, and are readily seen from the anchorage. One was 
occupied temporarily by the London Missionary Society, who were then endeavouring 
to establish themselves in New Guinea, gradually working their way from the islands to 
the mainland. 
