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208 Our fellow-voyager. Captain Hobbs, appeared determined to make himself comfortable, and, assisted by his boys, soon made, with his boat's sails, a very snug tent. Two or three boats filled with respectable emigrants brought up near us; and the place presented rather an animated appearance.

After having fixed our make-shift observatory, and taken a few observations, we took a detour to the southward, in order to observe the nature of the land; and we extended our walk, till approaching night admonished us to return.

Captain Bannister and Captain Hobbs both determined to fix their choice here, without farther search, and I advised them by all means to do so, if they could get the land (which I very much doubted), as, from its quality and local advantages, I suspected that it would either be a government reserve, or be given to some person, having a supposed superior claim to government indulgence.

On our way home we met two gentlemen. Lieutenant Everard, R.N. and Mr. Talbot, who, I understood from Captain Barker, had wished to come from Freemantle in our boat to meet the Governor: but they had missed their passage, and were consequently obliged to walk a considerable distance;—and being fatigued, they had no wish to proceed in search of the other party;—preferring to remain with us.

On the morning at day-light, we renewed our journey; and experienced considerable difficulty in getting the