Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 1 (Stockdale).djvu/179

] the gales were never o high, our pinnaces could ail about it with ecurity. A muddy bottom, about 3½ fathoms in depth, let them run no hazard if they were driven aground. More than 100 veels of the line might ride here with afety, and be upplied with as much wood and water as they tood in need of.

Towards the N.N.E. extremity of the harbour a mall river dicharges itelf into the ea. Some of our boats attempted to row up the tream, but were prevented by the large trees that lay acros it. A few wild dogs were oberved in the neighbouring country; and ome heltering places, lightly contructed of the barks of trees, hewed that the hores were frequented by the natives. A piece of alga marina, of the pecies known by the name of fucus palmatus, was picked up. It was cut into the hape of a pure, and appeared to have been ued as a drinking veel, being found filled with water.

The wet ide of the harbour is the mot favourable for taking in a upply of water. We took in ours on the W.S.W. and our wood on the oppoite hore.

A fire that was een at the ditance of about 5000 toies to the South, informed us that we were near the habitations of the avages, although we had as yet een none of them. In