SAIL FOR KING ISLAND.

Bad weather prolonged our stay until the 26th of November.  We had been chiefly occupied in determining the position of the mouths of the various channels intersecting the banks, that extend across the entire bay, three miles within the entrance.  The most available passages appeared to be those lying on the south and west shores, particularly the former for vessels of great draught; but we did not conclude the examination of them at this time, sailing on the morning of the 26th to survey the coast to the westward.  The first thirteen miles, trending West by South was of a low sandy character, what seemed to be a fertile country stretching behind it.  Two features on this line are worthy of notice—­Point Flinders, resembling an island from seaward, on account of the low land in its rear; and the mouth of the river Barwon, navigable for boats entering in very fine weather.  On its northern bank, eight miles from the sea is the site of the town of Geelong.  Passing this the nature of the country begins to change, and high grassy downs with rare patches of woodland present themselves, which in their turn give place, as we approach Cape Otway, to a steep rocky coast, with densely wooded land rising abruptly over it.

CAPE OTWAY.

The above-mentioned Cape is the northern point of the western extremity of Bass Strait, and is swept by all the winds that blow into that end of the Funnel.  The pernicious effect of these is evident in the stunted appearance of the trees in its neighbourhood.  It is a bold projection in latitude 38 degrees 51 minutes, and appears to be the South-West extremity of a ridge of granite gradually rising from it in a North-East direction.  About half a mile off it, lies a small detached reef.

Having thus coasted the northern side of the Strait, we proceeded to cross over to Tasmania to examine the southern side.  About halfway is King Island, extending in a north and south direction, thirty-five miles, and in an east and west thirteen.  It lies right across the entrance of the Strait, about forty miles from either shore, and from its isolated position is well adapted for a penal settlement.

The more northern channel of the two formed by this island is the safer, and the water deepens from 47 to 65 fathoms as you approach it from the continent.  Its outline is not remarkable, the most conspicuous point being a round hill 600 feet high over the northern point called Cape Wickham.  We anchored in a bay on the North-West side, under New Year Island, which affords shelter for a few vessels from all winds.  There is a narrow passage between the two, but none between them and the southern point of the bay, which is open to the north-west.  On the summit of one of these islands boulders of granite are strewed, and they exhibit a very remarkable white appearance from seaward when the sun has passed his meridian.

A SEALER’S FAMILY.