Geology.] 
NATURAL HISTORY. 
cm 
near that Point, the rugged stony cliffs are succeeded by a 
long tract, which to the French voyagers (for it was not 
examined by Captain King,) appeared to consist of low 
and sandy land, fronted by extensive shoals. It has hi- 
therto been seen, however, only at a distance ; so that a 
space of more than three hundred miles, from Point Gan- 
theaume nearly to Cape Lambert, still remains to be accu- 
rately surveyed. 
Depuch Island, east of Dampier’s Archipelago, about la- 
titude 20° 30", is described by the French naturalists as 
consisting in a great measure of columnar rocks, which they 
supposed to be volcanic; and they found reason to believe 
that the adjoining continent was of the same materials 
It is not improbable, however, that this term was applied 
to columns belonging to the trap formation, since no burning 
mountain has been any where observed on the coast of New 
Holland -nor do the drawings of Depuch Island, made 
on board Captain King’s vessel, give reason to suppose that 
it is at present eruptive. Captain King’s specimens from 
Malus Island, in Dampier’s Archipelago, (sixty miles farther 
west) consist of green-stone and amygdaloid. 
The coast is again broken and rugged about Dampiers’ 
Archipelago, latitude 20° 30"; and on the south of Cape 
Preston, in latitude 21°, is an opening of about fifteen miles 
in width, between rocky hills, which has not been ex- 
plored. From thence to the bottom of Exmouth Gulf, — more 
than one hundred and fifty miles, the coast is low and sandy, 
and does not exhibit any prominences. The west coast of 
Exmouth Gulf itself is formed by a promontory of level land, 
terminating in the North-west Cape ; and from thence to the 
* P6ron, voL i. p. LSO. 
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