Page:Narrative of a survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia, Volume 2.djvu/25

 8 SURVEY OF THE INTERTRQMCAL sm.- were thonght to be uselesa;' but, .from subse- -n. quent experience, they .proved to be far..from deserving sh contempt, for during the voyage we made two.pole-top gallant.masts of it; which, although very full of knots, were as tough as any spar I ever saw; and carried a press of sail longer tlu would be trusted on many masts. These trees are very abundant on the Cumberland and Northumberland Islands, but do .not attain any large size; being seldomhigher than fifty or sixty feet, or of a greater diameter than from twelve to eighteen inches. Among a .variety of birds,. several black cock- atoos and the pheasant cuckoo were seen. The beaches were frequented by gulls, terns; oyster-catchers; and an egret was nciced of slate-coloured plumage, with a small ruff.upon its head. The seine was hahled upon the beach; but the only fish caught were two very large sting-rays; oneof which measured twelve feet across: as it was too unwieldy to take on board, we had no means ofweighlng it; but the liver nearly filled a small pork barrel*.. It is very probable that �Captain Cook describes some fish, probably of the mine species, found at Botany Bay, weighing each three hundred and thirty-six pounds (Hawkewot!, vol. & p. lO0); from which circumstance, a is. not generally knows, the mine of 8ng-ry Bay ws iven

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