We met with but one quadruped on the ifland, which was about the fize of a
hare: we found alfo the ikin of a fnake, and faw a great number of birds of a
beautiful plumage; among which were two forts of parroquets, and a beautiful
loriquet: we (hot a few of them, which we made into a pie, and they ate very
well. We alfo met with a black bird, very much like our crow, and ihot fome of
them too, which alfo tailed agreeably. From the number of curious plants we met
with on ihore, we called the bay Botany-Bay.
Having got oh board a good flock of hay for our fheep, on the 6th of May we
weighed anchor, and left this bay. On this day, Forbes Sutherland, a native of the
Orkneys, who had departed this life, was carried on fhore, and decently interred.
Having^nly moderate breezes from the Ni and N.E. we made but little way till
the 9th. In the evening of that day we faw two of the moil beautiful rainbows
my eyes ever beheld : the colours were ilrong, clear, and lively 5 thofe of the inner
one were fo bright as to refleft its ihadow on the water. They formed a complete
femicircle ; and the fpace between them was much darker than thereil of the iky.
In latitude 32° 51', on the 10th, the land appeared confiderahly higher and
more broken, very fandy, and lefs fertile. We faw feveral cluilers of iilands ;
among which, it is probable, there may be iome good harbours.
On the 11 tli, we pafied.high broken land, having feveral diflihdt peaks and hills,
an exteniive flat along the ihore covered with pretty large trees, and a fandy beach.
We faw alfo many fnakes, and three remarkable hills, which we called The Three
Brothers. Latitude 32“ 2!.
On the 14th, latitude 3o°22/, the land appeared high, and well covered with
wood; but, being three of four leagues from it, we could not diilinguiih many
particulars upon it, though we faw clouds of fmoke ar-ife from different dif-
tant parts of the country. The wind was very variable after our leaving the lafl
bay, and we had iome calms. The wind hangs moilly between the N. and E. on-
this co^ft, blows very gently, and then dies away to a ilark calm; but this day we
had a freih breeze from the'S.W.
On
I
On the 15th, we were in the latitude of 28* 40'. The breeze continued briik
frqm the S. W. the land appeared very uneven ; and we faw a remarkable high
peak, with three points at the top : behind it were three other hills, with round
tops; and the -neareil land was well covered with wqod. We faw fix men,
,quite naked, walking upon a ilrait, white, fandy beach ; ^nd, in the evening, having
a low point of land a-head, we difcpvered feveral breakers, at a conliderable
diilance from the ihore. The wind freihening, we ilood to the eafl ; and, foon
after dark, brought to, continued founding every half-hour, and found thirty fathoms
water.
On the 16th, we were in latitude 270 40', and faw a vail trail of lowland,
with, here and there, a riling hill.
On the 17th, the land appeared higher, having many remarkable peaks; one
p f which was like a glafs-houfe : we alfo faw fome fmoke, and the appearance of
a large riyer ; the water of which was of a pale green colour. Latitude 26° 28".
On the 18th, in latitude.25-0 36', the land appeared to rife perpendicular, of
an unequal height, and looked like a wall along the coaft, without having any
break} which prevented us from feeing the back land ; and it was covered with
great patches; pf white fand and ftinted .ifrrubs. The fea was ¡full of a fort of
orange-'Cplpured poyvder, like that we faw on thexoail pf.;Brazil. On this day, we
¡faw a water-ihake.. *
On the j?pdi, in therforenoon, we were a-breail pf a point lfihich feeined to be
the lail pf . the land to the north, and tended away abruptly to the fouth. From
this poipt there runs a very large ihoal, on feveral parts, ofrwhich the water broke.
We failed alongTiide of it, and.had from feventeen to nine.fathoms, water. Before
night came on, we got round it, and kept our courfe weilward, as we hadfeen the
,lppming of land in that quarter. The barren fandy land continued to' this
point, and was uninhabited. We faw a large turtle,’ fome large grampufles that
leaped out of the water, a great number of porpoifes, many fharks which would
not take b(ait, and feveral men-of-war birds. Latitude 240 24'.
T On