Page:Narrative of a survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia, Volume 2.djvu/30

 COASTS OF AUSTRALIA. 13 �as we passed, but the distance was too gToat .1521. to take any notice of him. June 17. In the aftemcon we landed upon the small island in the bay, and found it to be separated from the main land by .a very shoal channel, -through which our boat had some ty in passing; the island is small, and formed of loose fragments of granite, over which the decomposed vegetable matter had formed a soil, which, at- .though shallow, was sufficient to nourish some luxuriant grass (pan/cure), and a robust species of cucptus: among these large flights of cock- atoos and parroquets were hovering, but they were very shy, and did not allow us to approach them: a small dove, common to other parts of the coast, was lcilled. A xlative was seen walking along a sandy beach behind the island, but pro- ceeded without noticing our boat, which was: at that time passing. The following day the weather was so clear is. that, in the early part of the morning, we dis. tinctly saw the summit of the !and at the back of Cape Tribulation, bearing N. 43�(mag.); it must.have beenfifty-five or sixty miles off; the fall of the land. towards the extremity of the cape was also seen, bearing N. 35 � W. fifty-six miles. In the atternoon I went on shore near the

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