Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 1 (Stockdale).djvu/158

148 larget pecies of that genus, floating upon the urface of the water: they had undoubtedly been detached from the rocks that bound the coat of that large iland. This fucus, which is everal yards in length, is provided with mall bladders filled with air at the extremities of its highet leaves, whereby it is enabled in its growth to take a direction towards the urface of the water.

About five o'clock in the evening we were urrounded by a great number of whales, which came within a hundred yards of our hip. The Anglo-Americans, who ometimes viit thee eas in order to fih for the whales, are more than indemnified for the expences of their equipment by the profits from the oil which they carry home.

The depoitions of the Captains Magon Lépinay and Préaudet, had determined our Commander to endeavour to reach the Admiralty Ilands as oon as poible, thinking that, after paing along the north coat of New Holland, we hould be able to arrive there before the return of the eatern monoon. We had, however, made as yet but very little way, being, on the 6th of March, only in 44° E. lon. The apprehenion of being detained at the Molucca Ilands during the whole time of the eat monoon, which was expected to et in during the month of March, induced him to