THE MONTEBELLO GROUP.

From Delambre we proceeded to the Montebello Islands, principally in order to set at rest two points of great interest, namely, the position of Ritchie’s Reef, and of the long lost Tryal Rocks.  On the 31st, in the afternoon, we anchored in 6 fathoms on the eastern side of Tremouille Island, a cliffy islet off the south-east end of which bore South 42 degrees East two miles.  The tide was ebbing and setting to the North-North-East two knots an hour.  We found the Montebello Group to be confined by a coral reef encircling it.  The two principal islands are Tremouille and Hermite Islands.  The fact that these and their neighbours are not separated in the charts fully evinced the necessity of our visit.  Leaving a boat to examine them, the ship proceeded towards the northern end of Barrow’s Island, being anxious to avoid the southerly winds to which the anchorage off Tremouille is exposed.  These usually commenced at midnight, blowing from south-west, freshening and veering to south by 8 A.M., and by about 10 moderating at South-South-East.  On our way to Barrow’s Island they were so violent as to cause the ship to drive with two anchors ahead, there appearing to be no holding ground, but simply a coating of sand over a rocky ledge.  During the prevalence of these winds the temperature varied from 66 to 76 degrees.

Near Barrow’s Island, on our passage, I shot (from the quarter-boat) the largest sea-snake ever killed.  It is figured and described in the Appendix, by Mr. J.E.  Gray, as Hydrus major, and measured eight feet one inch in length, by three inches broad; the colour was a dark yellow:  several smaller ones striped brown and white were also seen.

BARROW’S ISLAND.

We found that from the Montebello Group a long series of reefs and small islands, the largest and most central of which is called Lowendal, extends towards Barrow’s Island, leaving a winding channel* along the north side of the latter.  Near the centre of the western side of the reef is a cluster which proved to be the long-lost Tryal Rocks; the middle and largest of which is in latitude 20 degrees 35 minutes South and longitude 0 degrees 17 minutes West of Swan River.** The reef continues along the eastern side of Barrow’s Island, extending off three miles; our anchorage was consequently little more than that distance from the shore.  We examined the northern and eastern sides; the former is composed of red sandstone cliffy projections, separated by sandy bays, fronted for nearly two miles by a coral reef, partly dry at low-water; but the south part of the eastern side becomes very low; and where the cliffs end there is a remarkable valley trending westwards.  There were recent marks of the sea many feet above the ordinary reach of the tides, bespeaking occasional strong south-east winds.  A number of stony-topped hills, from 150 to 200 feet in height, were scattered over the northern parts of the island.  In the valleys was a little sandy soil, nourishing the spinifex, and a stunted kind of wood sufficiently large for fuel.