Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 2 (Stockdale).djvu/40

30 Dentrecasteaux, intending to spend two days in examining its environs. We landed at the mouth of the harbour, on its western side; and fortunately found ourselves on a bank of oysters, of which we collected an abundant store.

It was with pleasure we saw once more a place, which we had visited several times the preceding year. Most of the little rivulets we had then met with, and even that where we procured our water, were now dry.

We soon reached the head of the harbour, and found, as we proceeded up the river, very close and marshy thickets, which often retarded our progress.

Snakes are not common at Diemen's Cape, yet I saw two, sleeping in the sun, on large trunks of trees; on our approach they withdrew into the hollow trunks, that served them for a retreat. They were of the species I had found the year before, which is by no means dangerous.

Though the course of the river was obstructed by large trees at almost every step, we were obliged to go up it near a mile and half, before we could find one, by means of which we could cross to the opposite bank without too great difficulty.

From this place we proceeded north-east, tra- versing