SEFTiMEra, lips. We alfo felt ourfelves much weakened, and unfit to
go through pur ufual occupations; whilft the want of
frefih food greatly contributed to keep us in a lingering
Rate, and retarded our recovery. Thus we left an ifland
fituated in the wefternmoft part of the South Pacific Ocean,
not above 12 degrees diftant from the coaft of New Holland,
and inhabited by a race of men very diftinft from all we
had hitherto feen in the fame ocean. From their vicinity
to New Holland, one might have been apt to fuppofe, that
they had the fame origin with the people of that continent ;
but upon comparing all the accounts of former voyagers,
who have vifited New Holland, its inhabitants bear no re-
femblance.to one another, and as a farther proof, the vocabulary
of both nations is totally different *. Their numbers
appear to be very inconfiderable, and the moft probable
guefs we would form of them, after ranging the whole
northern coaft of the ifland, does not make them amount
to fifty thoufand, upon a fea-coaft of near two hundred
leagues. The country which they inhabit, feems indeed to be
very unfit for cultivation in moll parts. The narrow plain
which furrounds it, is full of fwamps on the fea-fide, covered
with mangroves ; and this part is with much trouble drained
by ditches, and dug till it is made fit for the purpofes of
* A vocabulary o f the New Holland language was obligingly communicated
to us by captain Cook.
agriagriculture.
The reft of the plain is foméwhat higher, but se
in return excefflvely dry, fo that they are obliged to moiften
it by means of canals which conduft the water from the
rivulets or pools. Beyond this feveral hillocks rife, covered
with a dry parched earth, where fome.fpecies of fhrivelled
grafs; the cayputi-tree, and a few ftmibs thrive, at a great
diftance afunder; and from thence upwards, the interior
mountains are almoft entirely deftitute of vegetable earth in
many places, and confift of a Aiming red glimmer, and
large pieces of quartz. The nature of this foil cannot give
luxuriance to the growth of vegetables ; on thé contrary,
it is rather furprifing, that fuch a variety of fpecies fpring
up in it, as we met with, though they are for the greateft
part dry, and of a very homely appearance. Only the
woods on foflie parts of the plain, are filled with flirubberies,
bind-weeds, gay flowers, and tufted fhady trees. It is eafy
to be conceived, that the contrail between Nova Caledonia,
and the New Hebrides, was very ftriking to us, who had
fo lately vifited thofe rich and fertile iflands, where the
vegetable kingdom glories in its greateft perfeaion. The
difference in thé character of the people was no lefs furprifing.
All the natives of the South Sea iflands, excepting
thofe only which Tafman found on Tonga-Tabboo and
Namoka*, made fome attempt to drive away the ftrangers
* And thofe perhaps had been informed o f what had paffed between le Marre,
and the natives of Horne, Cocos, and Traitors Ifland, fome years before.
V o l . II. I i i wh0