Page:A Voyage to Terra Australis Volume 1.djvu/285

King George's Sound.]

female friends were placed. The old man followed us, hallooing frequently to give information of our movements; and when a paroquet was shot, he expressed neither fear nor surprise, but received the bird with gladness; and attended with some curiosity to the reloading of the gun.

Our course for the lakes led us through swamps and thick brush-woods, in which our new acquaintance followed for some time; but at length, growing tired of people who persevered in keeping a bad road in opposition to his recommendation of a better, which, indeed, had nothing objectionable in it, but that it led directly contrary to where our object lay, he fell behind and left us. We afterwards took to the skirts of the sea-coast hills, and made better progress; but were obliged to recross the swamps and force our way through a thick brush, before reaching the eastern lake.

This piece of water was found to be one-mile and a half, east and west, and one mile in breadth; and appeared to receive the drainings from the numerous swamps round about. In coasting round the north side, to reach the south-western lake, we were stopped by a serpentine stream, upon which were two black swans; but they took to flight before we could get near to shoot them. After following the windings of this rivulet, some distance to the north-west, without being able to pass over, we struck inland towards the skirt of some rising hills; and crossed the stream early enough to walk a mile to the south-west before sunset; when the convenience of dry ground, with wood and water at hand, induced us to halt for the night.

On Thursday morning, we reached the south-western lake, and found it to be larger than the first. Its water was brackish, which bespoke a communication with the sea; and as there was no certainty that this communication might not be too deep to be passed, it was thought. prudent to give up the intention of proceeding to the sea side; and our steps were retraced across the rivulet and round the northern lake. We then struck southward, and ascended the