Page:Narrative of a survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia, Volume 1.djvu/132

 �7.6 8UR�Y OF"THE INTERTItPICAL lsta through astrait:separating. Point_An, nesley-from April lJ. V. alentia .Island,. we .entered Mouutnorris Ba, and after coasting for some distance, until the bottom of the bay-was-visible, we:,anchor_ed, near the eastern shorei and passed. the-night. The coast from Valentia Island to .our an- chornge is principally formed by sandy .- the continuity of. which is broken by projecting rocky. heads, one of which is Point Coorobe. Valentia Island is. low and thickly.wooded,. and partakes of the monotonous-apImaranee: of .the -main land; which. is- equally covered with.lo.w, small, and apparently-stunted trees. l. At day-dawn the. Malays were observedmak- ing a. move, and as each proa got undersa/l.', ..it , steered towards us. .The anchor was,.therefo, �immediately weighed, and we prepared to.receive them as formidably as our. m_ns allowed. Their nnmber was now increased to twenty-one .vessels, by their having hoisted out six large canoes; but as they approached, there was no appearam Of any hostile intention, since some of them steered across the bay, and .only a. few continued _to direct their course towards us. One of the canoes came near with the.intention of visiting us, but not liking. too intimate an acquain .tnce with.them, we pointed-- our carronade, and beckoned to them-to go. away, which they iraroe-

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