Page:Narrative of a survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia, Volume 1.djvu/78

 4 8URYE� OF THE lNTERTROIICAL ss. quarter of a mile in diameter; they ae so low Feb. . as not to be visible from our deck at a greater distance than seve/ miles. Their summits are crowned with a slight shrubby vegetation,. the bright verdure of which, sepemted from the dark ' blue colour of the se by their glittering sandy beaches, formed a pleasing contrast to the dull,. monotonous appearance of the main land. These islets are in fact only the dry parts of a shol, on which the sand has accumulated, and formed a soil to receive and nourish the seeds of plants, which have either been drifted on shore by the tide, or been. brought by birds.from the .con- tinent. At.sunset we anchored under the land, but - soon afterwards the wind blew so fresh, that the fluke of our achor broke, and we were obliged to drop another; which was the last we pos- sessed, besides a small stream anchor that was too light to use, excepting in a calm a The next morning being fine, and favourable for another search after our lost anchor (the re- covery of which from our last night's misfortune had become of very great.consequence) we bore up along the shore, and soon arrived at the spot; but after some time spent in the search, without success, we .were at last obliged to relinquish the attempt,. and gave up all hope 

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