Back the mainyard! This river's very narrow and very dangerous! It runs very narrow, and very awkward, it do! Where do ye want to go?" I suggested Swan Bay. He spoke of it as impossible, and said the "Orpheus" had lain in Lagoon Bay; a troop-ship of 1000 tons a little higher; the "Beagle” had laid herself on the beach in Bryan Bay. No man-of-war had been here since the Orpheus in 1862. At last, at 11.15, he let us fill and come on under topsails as far as Lagoon Bay; then furled, and picking up the river pilot, came on to a large pool, with room for six ships, two miles and a half above Georgetown. Nothing but a clearing, and deciduous trees are wanting to make this a very pretty, peaceful-looking country. Went to Georgetown, talked to the innkeeper, visited the school, called on the clergyman, pulled across to the iron mine depôt at Ilfracombe or Lempriere.

August 6th.-The steamer came down last night for us in answer to my telegram requesting that she might do so. Too much fog to get away early, but it lifted, and we got away by 9.30, arriving at the Bar of Launceston at 1.45 P.M. The river quite easy of navigation, and we might have gone as high as Windermere, about ten or eleven miles below Launceston, had we known the river before the pilot came-i.e., above Swan Bay. The Mayor, &c., came off to meet us. It seems that Sir W. Denison was the man to whom they look back, and to whom they are most indebted for local improvements. He drained the flat opposite the town, and he planned and would have carried out a river cut from Launceston to a great bend, had the people not objected to the employment of convict labour. They speak of him with gratitude. We went to the top of the hill and got a view, and then down and met the mayor, who took us to the gardens, the square, in which is a good fountain, the hospital, the really fine Mechanics' Institute, the Town-hall, &c. All would be wonderful in England for a town of 10,000 inhabitants. Then to the cataract, and up the hill at its back for a view, and so to our hotel to dinner. The place looks dull, and is, I believe,

diminishing in population, owing to the exodus of young men over eighteen or nineteen; but the heaps of children ought to make up the tally. Here as elsewhere the striking thing is the immense quantity of meat for sale. The butcher's shop is the handsomest in the town. Most people eat meat three times a-day. A regular little British hotel, ultra British, the host with the grand manner of receiving and treating his guest.

August 7th.-Up at seven, and over the hills beyond the waterfall or cataract, as it is nobly called, being now in a dry time—for the weather has been immensely dry here, though unusually wet on the Australian continent-like a Scotch stream when in flood. When in flood I dare say it may be fine, but it is tamish, and the features of the rock are small, and colours dull. Last night I saw the snow on Lomond Ledi in the setting sun, and this morning snow on the western hills in the rising sunlight. Walked a good five miles up and down hill, and got down at nine for breakfast. The host nobly gave me a trumpeter fish, which was excellent.

Found at the steamer about forty or fifty ladies, and started at ten. Down to the ship at one with the tide, and soon went on shore to see the iron mines, which were most interesting. Five miles from the beach, and approached by an easy tramway, lies a mountain of iron of apparently inexhaustible quantity, and evidently great richness. I picked up bits here and there of brown hematite nodules, kidneys, and magnetic ore, in a wonderfully pure condition, and I should imagine very good indeed. They say that there are 1,000,000 tons on the spot; it is quite possible. There it is ail cropping out of the surface in lumps and rough heaps, and the very earth is as full of iron as it can be. But I could see no plans of the works in progress, or how the place is to be laid out.

August 8th.-A few went on shore, and shot two wallaby. Heard the steamer was coming down, and down she came, with fifty or so of people, who roamed about until the, anchor began to be hove up. Weighed in company with the old pilot, who with many

a wink and a nod, and wise saw, took us out and left us. Made sail to a light air from N.E., breaking off to N.W. as the night went on. At the ironworks landing-place we saw a hideous old fisherman, who had lived for thirteen years in his boat, they say, and who has lost the use of his legs. We passed him twice or thrice, and each time he reared up his grizzly old shock head, and held out a bottle, and called out, "What is your lordship's name?" He has been drunk, they say, for years.

August 9th.-Saw Rodondo and Curtis Island soon after 8 A.M. By 7.30 P.M. saw the splendid light at Kent Islands Group, showing over thirty-six miles, I think, and at its proper interval, 1 min.

40 sec.

August 10th. At 8 A.M. found ourselves abreast of the Kent Group. An island of limestone (crystalline), with nice green slopes. Mr. Brownrigg, clergyman, of Launceston, and a born sailor, seems to have visited them in a little boat, to baptise the children, &c., in February, 1872. From his observations it seems that East Cove would be the best place for a coaling-station and position for fresh supplies of sheep and oxen. There seem to be streams of water, which could be dammed for a permanent supply. Saw Kent Light forty-two or forty-three miles off.

August 11th.-Made Gabo Light at 11.45 P.M. Very good light.

August 13th.-At 6.30 off the " Pigeon House," a most curious and remarkable rock standing against the sky on the higher range. At 8. abreast of Jervis Bay; strongish current against us. Seawater 61°, instead of the 53° of Bass Straits and Port Phillip. Here is a cause which for all time will make the people of Melbourne more energetic than those of Sydney. All this coast looks bare of green, and is covered with dark scrub.

Picked up our buoy in Farm Cove (Sydney) at 8 P.M.

August 17th.-Went to Staff-Commander Gowlland's funeral.*

*

Captain Gowlland was drowned in Sydney Harbour on August 15th, 1874. His grave is within eight feet of that of Commodore Goodenough.

August 27th.-Went to Parramatta, to old Mr. Pye's, and saw his orange-trees. One, fifty years old, is 4 ft. 3 in. in girth at one foot above the ground, and about 35 ft. high; a noble tree, with excellent fruit. We had been told that the average value of a tree was Ios. a-year, but Mr. Pye says that he offered the owner of 500 trees on six acres £500 before a single blossom was out, and his offer was refused. This was a particular property on a very good soil.

CHAPTER V.

NORFOLK ISLAND-FIJI.

September 12th.-Sir Hercules Robinson came off at 9 P.M., and off we slipped quietly and gently at 9.30, making sail at 11.30 to a good breeze.

September 15th.-A large dragon-fly and moth last night on board, at seventy or eighty miles from Lord Howe's island, and dead to leeward.

September 17th.-Bulli coal getting better than the first coal in use, which was Catherine Hill bay. But whereas the former made no smoke, and little deposit in the tubes, and quantities of ashes, this makes less ashes, more smoke, and deposit in the tubes.

Making sail at 11 A.M., a fine lad fell from the main-top-gallant cross-trees, just after letting fall the main-top-gallant sail. He fell horizontally across the ridge rope, and broke his thigh, snap short, the end coming clean through the skin, and making a wound two inches long, bleeding frightfully, besides breaking his arm and middle fingers. He was carried below and Messer put him at once under chloroform. It was an hour before he could be got on to the cot, with his leg pulled straight, poor lad, and his arm and hand set.

We anchored at 6.15 P.M., having sighted Norfolk Island or Phillip Island, forty miles off; at 1.30 P.M., Phillip Island, beautiful from every point; pearly and then opalescent. The trees were visible on Norfolk Island a long way off. Went right up to an inside billet, and saw the signal at the signal staff: "Pick up a boat." A boat came and said the weather would be fine and we