Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 2 (Stockdale).djvu/35

] south by east, we took this direction, and went to spend the night on the skirts of the forest, near a rivulet, which runs to the foot of the mountains.

4th. The difficulty of penetrating through the woods, made us resolve in future to follow the shore as far as we could, and avail ourselves of the openings that terminated on it, to proceed into the interior part of the country. In this manner we could traverse a considerable extent of ground in little time; but it was necessary for us first to pass the cliff that projected into the sea, and had stopped us a few days before. By fresh attempts at length we succeeded, and, after surmounting the greatest difficulties, we penetrated through the thick woods that opposed our passage. On quitting these we were able to continue our journey along the sea-side, the way being sufficiently easy, as the mountain terminated at the shore by a gentle slope: but we were soon obliged to climb over steep rocks, at the foot of which the sea broke in a tremendous manner. This road, notwithstanding its difficulty, was frequented by the natives, for we found in it one of their spears. This weapon was no more than a very straight long stick, which they had not taken the pains to smooth, but which was pointed at each end.