WHITE KANGAROO.

In a gentleman’s house there, I saw for the first time, a specimen of an Albino or white variety of kangaroo, Halmaturus bennettii.* Another object that interested me greatly was a quarry of travertine limestone, in the neighbourhood of Hobart, where I saw the impression** of leaves of plants, not in existence at present, and of a few shells of ancient species.

(Footnote.  One of this rare kind, was presented by Sir John Franklin to her Majesty, in whose menagerie at Windsor it died, and was sent afterwards to the British Museum, where it now may be seen.)

(**Footnote.  Drawings of these impressions, together with the shells will be found in Count Strzelecki’s scientific work.)

SAIL FROM HOBART.

We sailed from Hobart on the 19th of July and carried a strong fair wind to within a few days’ sail of Sydney, when we experienced a current that set us 40 miles South-East in 24 hours; this was the more extraordinary as we did not feel it before, and scarcely afterwards; and our course being parallel to the shore, was not likely to have brought us suddenly within the influence of the currents said to prevail along the coast.  The ship’s position was 40 miles east of Jervis Bay when we first met it.

July 24.

This morning the clearness of the atmosphere enabled us at an elevation of 50 feet, to distinguish the light near the entrance of Sydney Harbour, while at a distance of thirty miles from it.  Its site has been admirably chosen for indicating the position of the port from a distance at sea, but it has been placed too far from the entrance to be of much service to vessels when close in shore.* The low land in the vicinity of Sydney and Botany Bay, presents a striking contrast with the coast of the Illawarra district, a little further southwards; where the sea washes the base of a lofty range of hills, which sweeping round some distance in the rear of the two former places, leaves an extensive tract of low country between them and the sea.  Upon the summit of these hills there rest almost invariably huge clouds, which serve even through the gloom of the darkest night, to assure the anxious navigator of his position.

(Footnote.  Some years since a ship with convicts was driven at night by a South-East gale, close in with the light, and was obliged to run for the harbour, but being then without anything to guide her into the entrance, was wrecked on the south point.  The loss of life was dreadful.  The light lately erected near the Sow and Pigs reef, has in some measure remedied the evil here pointed out:  but being too far within, and on the south side of the entrance, it is not made out till, with southerly winds, a ship has approached dangerously close to the North Head.)

APPROACH TO SYDNEY.