weeping willow.[76] We found also much
less gum upon them, which is contrary to the established opinion, that
the hotter the climate, the more gums exude. Upon a plant also which
yielded a yellow gum, there was less than upon the same kind of plant in
Botany Bay. Among the shoals and sandbanks we saw many large birds, some
in particular of the same kind that we had seen in Botany Bay, much
bigger than swans, which we judged to be pelicans; but they were so shy
that we could not get within gun-shot of them. Upon the shore we saw a
species of the bustard, one of which we shot; it was as large as a
turkey, and weighed seventeen pounds and a half. We all agreed that this
was the best bird we had eaten since we left England; and in honour of
it we called this inlet _Bustard Bay_. It lies in latitude 24 deg. 4',
longitude 208 deg. 18'. The sea seemed to abound with fish; but unhappily,
we tore our seine all to pieces at the first haul: Upon the mud banks,
under the mangroves, we found innumerable oysters of various kinds;
among others the hammer-oyster, and a large proportion of small
pearl-oysters: If in deeper water there is equal plenty of such oysters
at their full growth, a pearl fishery might certainly be established
here to very great advantage.

[Footnote 75: For some remarks on these creatures, see the Section which
treats of this country in general,--E.]

[Footnote 76: There are several trees which yield a resinous substance,
resembling what is called dragon's blood, as the Pterocarpus draco, the
Dracaena draco, the Calamus draco, the Dalbergia monetaria, &c. Some
observations on the botany of New Holland are reserved for a future
page.--E.]

The people who were left on board the ship said, that while we were in
the woods about twenty of the natives came down to the beach, abreast of
her, and having looked at her some time, went away; but we that were
ashore, though we saw smoke in many places, saw no people: The smoke was
at places too distant for us to get to them by land, except one, to
which we repaired. We found ten small fires still burning within a few
paces of each other; but the people were gone: We saw near them several
vessels of bark, which we supposed to have contained water, and some
shells and fish-bones, the remains of a recent meal. We saw also, lying
upon the ground, several pieces of soft bark, about the length and
breadth of a man, which we imagined might be their beds; and, on the
windward si