Page:A Voyage to Terra Australis Volume 1.djvu/351

Investigator's Group.]

there was very little, either of the white, velvety shrub (atriplex), or of the tufted, wiry grass. A small species of kanguroo, not bigger than a cat, was rather numerous. I shot five of them, and some others were killed by the botanists and their attendants, and found to be in tolerably good condition. We were now beginning to want a supply of water, and the northern part of the island was sought over carefully for it; but the nearest approach to success was in finding dried-up swamps, in which the growing plants were tinged red, as if the water had been brackish. No other trees than a few small casuarinas at a distance from the anchorage, were seen upon the island; but wood for fuel might with some difficulty be picked out from the larger bushes growing near the shore. The beaches were frequented by seals of the hair kind. A family of them consisting of a male, four or five females, and as many cubs, was lying asleep at every two or three hundred yards. Their security was such, that I approached several of these families very closely; and retired without disturbing their domestic tranquillity, or being perceived by them.

The latitude of the north-east sandy cove in Flinders' Island was found to be 33° 41′ south, and longitude 134° 27½′ east. The variation on board, observed by Mr. Thistle on the binnacle with the ship's head south-by-east, was 0° 6′ east; which, corrected, gives 0° 44′ for the variation to be allowed on the bearings taken on shore, or on board the ship with the head at north or south. The tide appeared to be as inconsiderable here as in Nuyts' Archipelago. With the present southern winds the temperature at this island was very agreeable; the thermometer stood between 65° and 68°, and the barometer at 30,08 inches, and it was rising.

In the morning of the 14th, the wind was at south-south-east. We weighed the anchor at daylight, and beat to windward the whole day; but without gaining any thing to the southward. A little before midnight, the wind having veered more to the east, we passed the Top-gallant Isles, and at noon next day were in the following situation: