.... Having now made myself acquainted with the shores of the continent up to Cape Jervis, it remained to pursue the discovery further eastward ; but I wished to ascertain previously, whether any error had crept into the time keepers rates since leaving Kanguroo Island, and also to procure there a few more fresh meals for my ship's company. Our course was in consequence directed for the island, which was visible from aloft; but the winds being very feeble, we did not pass Kanguroo Head until eleven at night. I purposed to have run up into the eastern cove of Nepean Bay; but finding the water to shoal from 12 to 7 fathoms, did not think it safe to go further in the dark ; and therefore dropped the anchor about three-quarters of a mile from the shore, and two miles to the south-west-by-west of our former anchorage.

Early on the following morning a party was sent to shoot kanguroos, another to cut wood, and the naturalists went to pursue their researches. The observations taken by lieutenant Flinders,

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compared with those of March 24th, showed the time keepers to have erred 2' 10' of longitude to the west, in the nine days we had been absent; and they had not, consequently, lost quite so much upon a medium as the Port-Lincoln rates supposed. This small error, which principally affected the Gulph of St. Vincent, has been corrected in the longitudes there specified and in the chart, by an equal proportion.

The kanguroos were found to be less numerous than at the first anchoring place, and they had become shy; so that very few were killed. Those few being brought off, with a boat load of wood, we got under way at daylight next morning, to prosecute the examination of the coast beyond Cape Jervis; but the time keepers had stopped, from having been neglected to be wound up on the preceding day. We therefore came to an anchor again ; and as some time would be required to fix new rates, the ship was moored so soon as the flood tide made. I landed immediately, to commence the necessary observations, and a party was established on shore, abreast of the ship, to cut more wood for the holds. Lieutenant Fowler was sent in the launch to the eastward, with a shooting party and such of the scientific gentlemen as chose to accompany him; and there being skins wanted for the service of the rigging, he was directed to kill some seals.

On the 4th, I was accompanied by the naturalist in a boat exedition to the head of the large eastern cove of Nepean Bay; intending if possible to ascend a sandy eminence behind it, from which alone there was any hope of obtaining a view into the interior of the island, all the other hills being thickly covered with wood. On approaching the south-west corner of the cove, a small opening was found leading into a considerable piece of water; and by one of its branches we reached within little more than a mile of the desired sandy eminence. After I had observed the latitude 35° 50' 2' from an artificial horizon, we got through the wood without much difficulty ; and at one o'clock reached the top of the eminence,

to which was given the name of Prospect Hill. Instead of a view into the interior of the island., I was surprised to find the sea at not more than one and a half, or two miles to the southward. Two points of the coast towards the east end of the island, bore S. 77° E., and the furthest part on the other side, a low point with breakers round it., bore S. 33° W., at the supposed distance of four or five leagues. Between these extremes a large bight in the south coast was formed; but it is entirely exposed to southern winds, and the shores are mostly cliffy. Mount Lofty on the east side of the Gulph of St. Vincent, was visible from Prospect Hill at the distance of sixty~nine miles; and bore N. 40° 40' E.

The entrance of the piece of water at the head of Nepean Bay, is less than half a mile in width, and mostly shallow; but there is a channel sufficiently deep for all boats near the western shore. After turning two low islets near the east point., the water opens out, becomes deeper, and divides into two branches, each of two or three miles long. Boats can go to the head of the southern branch only at high water ; the east branch appeared to be accessible at all times; but as a lead,and line were neglected to be put into the boat, I had no opportunity of sounding. There are four small islands in the eastern branch ; one of them is moderately high and woody, the others are grassy and lower; and upon two of these we found many young pelicans, unable to fly. Flocks of the old birds were sitting upon the beaches of the lagoon, and it appeared that the islands were their breeding places; not only so, but from the number of skeletons and bones there scattered, it should seem that they had for ages been selected for the closing scene of their existence. Certainly none more likely to be free from disturbance of every kind could have been chosen. than these islets in a hidden lagoon of an uninhabited island, situate upon an unknown coast near the antipodes of Europe; nor can any thing be more consonant to the feelings, if pelicans have any, than quietly to resign their breath, whilst surrounded by their progeny, and in the same spot where they first drew it.

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Alas, for the pelicans! Their golden age is past; but it has much exceeded in duration that of man.