here
they eagerly watched every opportunity of moderate weather to
provide shell or other fish for their present subsistence: if a
bird was shot, and thrown to them, they would immediately pluck
off the feathers, put it upon the fire without taking out the
intestines, and eat the whole; sometimes they did not pull off
the feathers, and, if it were a small bird, did not even throw
the bones away.

This season, in which fish is so scarce, subjects these poor
creatures to great distress, at least we were apt to believe so;
they were frequently found gathering a kind of root in the woods,
which they broiled on the fire, then beat it between two stones
until it was quite soft; this they chew until they have extracted
all the nutritive part, and afterwards throw it away. This root
appears to be a species of the orchis, or has much of its
nutritive quality.

Large fires were frequently seen in this season upon some of
the hills, and we had been much at a loss to know for what
purpose they were so frequently lighted, at this time of the
year; but in going down the harbour one day, with an intention to
get upon the North Head, for the purpose of ascertaining its
exact latitude, we observed on a hill near that point, one of
those large fires, which (with the first lieutenant and surgeon
who were with me) we determined to visit; and as we thought it
might probably be some funeral ceremony, which we were very
desirous of seeing, we took our guns, and intended getting up
amongst them unperceived; but when we arrived at the place, to
our very great disappointment, not a person was to be seen: I
believe there were not less than three or four acres of ground
all in a blaze; we then conjectured that these fires were made
for the purpose of clearing the ground of the shrubs and
underwood, by which means they might with greater ease get at
those roots which appear to be a great part of their subsistence
during the winter. We had observed that they generally took the
advantage of windy weather for making such fires, which would of
course occasion their spreading over a greater extent of
ground.

On the 14th of July four transports, under the command of
Lieutenant Shortland, sailed for England; they intended going to
the northward, and passing through the streights of Macassar and
Sunda, the season being too early either to attempt going round
Van Diemen's land, and to endeavour to get to the westward by
that tract, or to go to the