I Sg| I
rently the burrows of an animal. There appeared to be no
traces of the kangaroo on it. I had intended to make search
for some stream of fresh water, but having traversed the country
to some distance, and night approaching with ,the tide at ebb,
I returned on board the vessel. My crew had caught a number
of flat-heads alongside : this fish has its name from the shape 6*
its head, is,common to this ,eQuntry, anef is goocf eafir^gi^jThey
saw some sharks of a considerable size, and caught.-thte&fpr four
small ones,
, Messieurs.BarreiHier and Murray went pnighole in, trem o r n-
ing following with an intention of making a survey of part gf
the harbour. Mr. -Cayley likewise set-out gn his botanical re-
sjparche^ T^|^%qnd matewas dispatched to make discovery
I I ^ e wa^ei},stream. In the mean time I explgrefb the
banks ,of a considerable, Creek, wSfehopenCd ab jg a sW ih e ves,
r ff^ h ^ ^ l^ lh e r was, unsettled, t and towards hthb evening I
Heavy rain and squalls,came on from the Ma-S. W. Mo* traces
q|" fire or tracks of^the natives, were d isco v e rab leb u t notwitb?
standing the. lateness of th e season, the earth was clothed, with
ygpety of, vegetables, and birds of various kinds.were., to be
seen everywhere. In the course of my progress up thef^J^O^,
I observed ag re a t number of black swans, with ducks and red-
tills sphere too I saw the. sea-gull, differing in no respeebfrom
the-.bird so called .with , us. The bushes abounded* with small
birds, many of them having beautiful plumage^and somem©i©t
dious, and seemingly vyipg with each other in their notes. I
Observed ,a,gene^al<shyness among the feathered tribe, and, con,
olpded they were often pursued by^the^natives. - The ducks
were particularly so, and it was with much difficulty 1 could
come within gun-shot of them.-^Night brought on a, general
rendezvpu| of our parties on board the vessel. Mr. Cayley had
ma^le* discovery ?of*a few new plants, but
ness
riess .of the *séasorv,! not in -such plenty as he had expected. He
had penetrated a considerable way in Snapper Island, but did
not find* the trees so large on that rich .soil as I had reason to,'
expect from thosp^had;>seBn-’èn'Churchill Island. M^ second
mate returned-,1,, not having discovered the stream he went in
search*: of,- the, harbour «being, veryréktensive, and the stream itself
small.
The weather continuing, wetland squally $ and the atmosphere-
b ^ ^ f e and close| several objects, of our intention .could not be
prosecuted;. .’,The;^5th and $6fh. beifig clear, and fine, search
was - again?*riepide for the fresh water' staeafei j the survey was-
carrihdifon^ andya part-of my crew was sent on shore to twist
some small rape for our running rigging. I went up the Creek
already mentioned in .the boat, and found it to terminate in a
large salt marsh, having the appearance df being at times overflowed
to~a considerable extent: thé trees were not very large,
but ther^un’derWo’öd was,,very thick; howêvér I penetrated
through fife to, a considerable distahefe, and found here and there'
spots that appeared, as if they had been cleared by manual la-
beur. These spots were covered' with good tender grass; and
afforded by their agreeable verdure great pleasure to the sight.
Part ofbmy object was to make discovery' o f , the*, nativek, - but
herein I was disappointed*, as not the least traces were" discover^
able that any? had bëeh'bjëre. n I had chosen for a companion in
this research my Sydney native, whom I found in many respects
very.'hSeful, especially when penetrating a thicket, as hövüsuaÜy
went first and cleared a passage for me to follow him. Though
always barefooted; and- sometimes naked, he had by practice
acquired a facility of passing through the-thick underwoo’d,' and
cduld effect Ms passage in much lesS time than aiBpcff
The open land, which, asT havemefiti'oned,had the appearance
of being frequently ovèrflowed, was clothed with grass;.
H ' HI MHsfflfflHffillg which