.A V 0*Y A G E T 0
C H A P . XVI.
:Progrefs to the. Northward. along tie Coafi of New Holland.—
Land on different IJlands, inJearch o f Supplies.
A S we advanced within the reefs* the coaft began to
ihew itfelf very diftinaii, in a variety of high and low
.land; fome parts-of which were covered"with wood- In
our way towards the Ihore, we fell in with a point of a reef
which is connected with that-towards the fea, and here .we
came to a grapnel, and tried to catch filh, but had no .fuc-
.cefs. The illand Direction at this time bore S three or four
leagues.' Two iflands lay about four miles to the W by N,
and appeared eEgible for a refting-place, i f for nothing
more; but on our approach to the neareft ifland, it proved
to be only a heap of ftones, and its fize too inconfiderable
to Ihelter the boat. We therefore proceeded to the next,
which was clofe to it and towards the main. On the N W
fide o f this, I found a bay anjl a fine fandy point to land at.
Our diftanee was about a quarter 6f a mile from a projecting
part o f the main, which bore from S W by S, to N N W 1 W,
We landed to examine i f there were any figns of the natives
being near us: we faw fome old fire-places, but nothing
to make me apprehend that this would be an unfafe fitua-
tion for the night. Every one was anxious to find fome-
thing to eat, and it was foon difcovered that there were
oyfters on the rocks, for the tide was out ; but it was nearly
dark,
T H E TS 0'-U> T?H'{ S E'A &c.
dark,' and onlyJ-f.V1few jcopld; b la th e r e d . I determined
therefore to wait till the morning, when I flioujd better
know how t«r proceed, and I dipped that- one half of our
feSmpaBV.fhbuldilO^tp; on: flacfcpj^lhvtb®,:0,:ber half irj the
boat. We- would bEfcvh made'tarfire,, but, as we could
not accamplilh it* \w©sh^kb©brorejfidbrithe
happily was calm ajid u&^prbed. ^ *
. Friday the. 29th.- The dawn of day brought greater Friday 2g,
frrength and fpirits :to us than I expeCted; for, not-with-
ftanding,(every, ones wasswkrySveak*,: there appeared ftrength
fifificifenis remaining tomaketihetGdnceivef-thesmofi favpur'-
abtefhbpesvpf o .^ being able to furmount thd difficulties we
plight? yeti kayh'.td s?ep counter.
As tlierej were- piiappearances Ho make |hae? ima^ap (that
an^of .th^aiativpst.weressnseaxins^IifeBfc out parties iri featch
offupplies, while-ptherhofthelpebple were putting thehoat;
in'Arder,. .that.-we*;kmghfc<be readyrtotgo] toi feaUn faftr.any
unforefeen icaufe fhouM make it nectjffary.' One »of* the
gudgteons ofithe rudder had*some out* in .the .pouffe of the
night,.andvra&ldft. jj This,; if it had'happened might- -
have * been attended with .the moft firidus* pohfequenqd^ * as
the mank^emb n t ofsthe- boat I co uld n o t, h av.e. vb e en lb nicely,
^efefved as thefe veryheavytfe^ required;*- Th^ibeenap-
prehenfivenf this accident, and,had' ihfqme meafure prepared
.forjit,- hy^hay.ing;g‘rsnnn©tsofixe4-Qn eachfquptter o f
the boat fdr'Jaars; but Jour utmoft.readineBt in jpfmg them,
would not probably have laved us. It appeap|f therefore, a
providential circumftance, that it happened yin aplyce of
fafety* and that it was in our power to remedy, ihe (tefe<Sg;
for by great good luck we found a largeAaple, in the boat,
which anfwered the purpofe.l tiD
d , ' ' , The »