C H A P . IV.
TranfaElions while the Ship was refitting in Endeavour
R iver: A Deficription o f the adjacent Country, its
Inhabitants, and ProduSiions,
IN the morning of Monday the iflth, a ftage was made 1770.
from the lhip to the fhore, which was fo bold that fhe <— — »
floated at twenty-feet drftance: two tents were alfo fet up, Mon ay l8‘
one for the fick, and the other for ftores and provi'fions,
which were landed in the courfe of the day. We alfo landed
all the empty water calks, and part of the ftores. As foon
as the tent for the fick was got ready for their reception, they
were fent alhore to the number of eight or nine, and the
boat was difpatched to haul the feine, in hopes of procuring
lbme fifh for their refrefhment; but fhe returned without
fuccefs. In the mean time, I climbed one of the higheft hills
among thofe that overlooked the harbour, which afforded
by no means a comfortable profpedt: the low land near the
river is wholly over-run with mangroves, among which the
falt-water flows every tide ; and the high land appeared to
be every where ftoney and barren, In the mean time Mr.
Banks had alfo taken a walk up the country, and met with
the frames o f feveral old Indian houfes, and places where
they had dreffed fhell-fifh; but they feemed not to have been
frequented for fome months. Tupia, who had employed
himfelf in angling, and lived intirely upon what he caught,
recovered in a furprifing degree ; but Mr. Green ftill continued
to be extremely ill.
Vol. III. U The