Page:Early voyages to Terra Australis.djvu/281

 VOYAGE TO TIIK SOUTH LAND. 125

and the moon meanwhile rising, we allowed ourselves to glide gently along the river.

On the l'2th, two hours before sunrise, seeing several fires, I again went on shore with our chief pilot, some sailors, and the two blacks above mentioned. We observed eight, and around each of them a heap of branches of trees, but no men. As it was, therefore, evident that there was no good to be done here, we returned to our vessel, which we reached about noon. As regards the country, it is sandy, and in the place where we were had been planted with a good many shrubs, among w^hich were some quite three and four fathoms (vademen) thick, but bearing no fruit, — in short, full of prickles and thorns. Several of these yielded a gum nearly like wax, of a brownish red colour. The men, the birds, the swans, the rotganzen, koopganzen, the geese, the cockatoos, the parroquets, etc., all fled at the sight of us. The best of it is that no vermin is found there ; but in the day time one is terribly tormented with the flies.

On the 13th, in the morning before daybreak, we held a council ; and in order to be able to take soundings nearer the coast, the galliot and two boats made sail at about three o'clock in the morning "watch. We took our course, there- fore, along the coast most frequently N.N.W., sometimes a little north and west. We were in 31 degrees 43 minutes latitude, and sounded generally at a cannon-shot or a cannon- shot and a half from the coast. Here and there we came to several large rocks, and had fifteen, twelve, nine, and eight fathoms water. Towards noon we passed an opening which might well have been a river ; and towards sunset we again made sail for the coast.

On the morning of the 14th we again made sail for the coast, and found the same depth as before, but principally fifteen fathoms of brackish water ; being then in 30 degrees and 40 minutes latitude.

On the 15th, after having held a council, we made sail