in length.  We were proceeding onward with our prize when a white eagle, with fierce aspect and outspread wing, was seen bounding towards us; but stopping short at twenty yards off, he flew up into a tree.  Another bird of the same kind discovered himself by making a motion to pounce down upon us as we passed underneath; and it seemed evident that they took us for kangaroos, having probably never seen an upright animal in the island of any other species.  These birds sit watching in the trees, and should a kangaroo come out to feed in the day-time, it is seized and torn to pieces by these voracious creatures.  This accounted for why so few kangaroos were seen, when traces of them were met with at every step; and for their keeping so much under thick bushes that it was impossible to shoot them.  Their size was superior to any of those found upon the more western islands, but much inferior to the forest kangaroo of the continent.

From a clear spot upon the north-western head of the island I traced the main coast to a cape bearing N. 18 deg.  W., where it was lost, but reappeared at a further distance, and extended to N. 21/2 deg.  W. More to the right were three small islands, which I named Sibsey, Stickney, and Spilsby Islands, but no other land in a north-east, and none in an eastern direction.  On the opposite side, six leagues out at sea, there was a small cluster of low islands, and some rocks and breakers at a less distance; these were called Neptune’s Isles, for they seemed to be inaccessible to men.  In the opening between Thistle’s Island and the main are several small isles; and the two southernmost so much contract the entrance of the passage that one mile and a half of its breadth, between the main land and western isle, are alone safe for ships; I gave to this the name of THORNY PASSAGE.  The bearings taken at this station, of most importance to the survey, were these: 

Hill on the east side of Sleaford Bay,              S. 70 deg. 50’ W.
Point where the coast turns northward,              S. 73  30  W.
Hill of a conic form, on the main land,             N. 35  50  W.
Sibsey I., centre, over a nearer low rock,          N. 12   0  E.
Stickney Island, centre,                            N. 26   0  E.
Spilsby Island, centre,                             N. 33   0  E.
Thistle’s I., west side, furthest visible part,     S. 35  30  E.
Neptune’s Isles, the furthest, centre,              S.  5  30  E.
——­ two nearer, the extremes,              S. 1 deg.  E to  4   0  W.

Thistle’s Island is about twelve miles long, and from one to two or three in breadth, and in the middle part is high enough to be seen ten or twelve leagues from a ship’s deck.  The stone of the north-east end was found to be calcareous; but at the top of the north-west head, not less than two hundred feet high, there were many small pieces of granite, rounded to all appearance by attrition in the water.  Some of the cliffs on the western