Page:Narrative of a survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia, Volume 1.djvu/129

 West-Bay, but it is very doubtful whether' any have succeeded, on account of the cu'stom that April the .natives have when the grass is dry, of setting fire to it, so that there is little doubt but that all the annual plants have been destroyed. The. bay was called Mullet Bay, in conse- quence of the immense shoals of that fish which were seen. near the shores, and of which Boon- garee speared' several with his fiz-gig. The tr- pog' Were found about the rocks on the beach in eat-numbers, as they were also on the South Island. On the 8th we left Munet Bay, and made an s unsuccessful attempt to beat round the north  end of the island,* and ,to return by steering through the strait that separates the Northern from the Southern' Ishnd: we.were, however, prevented by the freshness of the wind, and .the strength of �the current. On the 10th, we bore up with the intention of o. returning. to South-West Bay. On .approaching it, however, we were surprised' with. the sight of the Malay fleet steering through. Macquade Strait, towards two of their pwas that had already anchored in a sandy bay on the S.W. side of Sims'..Island. It wa therefore deter- 'mined that we shouldproceed as far to the west- ward' before night-fall as: We could, and as: the

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