It may appear out of place inserting it here but on our first arrival at Swan River in November last, we saw the Aurora Australis very bright.

At midnight of the 23rd of June we passed Cape Leeuwin, the south-western extremity of the continent; named by the first discoverer in 1622, Landt van de Leeuwin or the land of Lions.  The wind which had increased since the morning to a fresh gale from the northward, now suddenly veered round to the westward, accompanied with rain and causing a high cross-sea.

GALE OFF CAPE LEEUWIN.

These sudden shifts of wind frequently raise a very dangerous sea off Cape Leeuwin.* This made the third gale we had experienced since the 30th of May, and is recorded here from its commencing at North-East instead of at north, the usual point at which gales in these regions begin.  During the stormy weather which prevailed throughout the passage, we were unceasingly attended by those majestic birds and monarchs of the ocean—­the White Albatross (Diomedia exulans) which with steadily expanded wings sailed gracefully over the surface of the restless main in solemn silence, like spectres of the deep; their calm and easy flight coursing each wave in its hurried career seemed to mock the unsteady motion of our little vessel as she alternately traversed the deep hollows and lofty summits of the high-crested seas.

(Footnote.  In a gale off this Cape in 1836, H.M.S.  Zebra was compelled to throw her guns overboard.)

July 6.

It was our intention to have passed through Bass Strait, but finding we were unable to weather King Island bore up on the 6th for Hobart.  On the evening of the same day we were by a sudden change of the wind placed in one of those perilous situations in which both a good ship and sound gear are so much required; the wind, which had been northerly throughout the day, about 8 P.M. veered round to west, blowing a heavy gale with a high sea; and since we had now run about halfway along Van Diemen’s Land, left us with an extensive and dangerous shore under our lee.  Through the dismal gloom of the night, during which there was incessant rain with a succession of heavy squalls, the angry voice of nature seemed indeed to be raised in menace against us, and it was not until the close of the next day that a slight abatement of the weather relieved our anxiety for the safety of the ship.  During the night the wind backed round to the North-West and the sky became once more partially clear.  Early on the morning of the 8th we descried the south-western extremity of the land of Van Diemen, discovered in 1633 by the celebrated Dutch Navigator, Abel Tasman, and so named by him after the Governor of Batavia, under whose authority the voyage thus crowned with success had been performed.

TASMANIA.