Page:Narrative of a survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia, Volume 2.djvu/201

 180 SURVEY OP THE INTERTROPICAL 18. so dried as to be covered with'crystals of salt jn. o. and in this state it continued during our stay. Uln rounding the cape, two posts were des- cried upon its summit, which we conjectured to be those on which the French had affixed a record of their visit, as well as the more ancient one of the Dutch navigators, Dirk Hartog and viaming; for they were very conspicuously phced, and appeared to be in good preserva- tion. We had not anchored five minutes before the vessel was surrounded by sharks, which at once impressed us 'with de propriety 'of Dampier's nomenclature. 'One that was caught measured eleven feet in length, but the greater num- ber. vere not more than three or four feet long. They wre very voraCiou.s, and scared away large quantities of fish, of which, however, our people during the evdning caught a good supply. . The following morning we landed at the Cape, and with eager steps ascended the rocky face of the hill, to examine the interesting memo'rials that were affixed to' the post; bdt found to our great mortification, that they had been removed; the' only '* vestige that remained was the nails by which they had been secured. One of the posts was about two feet high, and evidently made Of

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