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ght of the Isle of Bouton on the 1st December, and anchored there on the 5th, where we staid till the 11th, procuring eggs, fowls, potatoes, and other provisions from the natives, who are Mahometans, and speak the Malay language. Continuing our voyage, we saw the N.W. point of Timor on the 28th, and on the 29th stood S. towards New Holland, which we fell in with on the 4th January, 1688, in lat. 16 deg. 50' S. _New Holland_ is a vast tract of land, but whether island or continent is hitherto unknown.[200] We anchored at a point of land, three leagues to the east of which is a deep bay. The land was low and sandy, the points only excepted, which were rocky, as were some islands in the bay. We found here no fresh water, except by digging. There were various trees, and among these the tree producing dragon's-blood. We saw no fruit-trees, nor so much as the track of any animal, except one footstep of a beast, which seemed the size of a large mastiff. There were a few land-birds, but none bigger than a black-bird, and scarcely any sea-fowl; neither did the sea afford any fish, except tortoises and manatees,[201] both of which are in vast plenty. [Footnote 200: It is now known to be a vast island, stretching from the lat. of 11 deg. 40' to 38 deg. 40', both S. and from long. 109 deg. 40' to 154 deg. 50' both E. being 1870 miles from N. to S. and 2400 miles from E. to W.] [Footnote 201: The Lamentin, or Trichechus Manatus australis of naturalists.--E.] The inhabitants are the most miserable wretches in the universe, having no houses or coverings but the heavens, and no garments except a piece of the bark of a tree tied round the waist. They have no sheep, poultry, or fruits, and subsist wretchedly on a few shell-fish, such as cockles, muscles, and periwinkles, living without any government or order, and cohabit promiscuously like brutes. Their bodies are straight, thin, and strong-limbed, having great heads and eye-brows, with round foreheads. Their eye-lids are constantly half closed, to keep out flies, which are here very numerous and troublesome. They have large bottle noses, thick lips, and wide mouth; and both men and women, young and old, wanted the two front teeth of the upper jaw. They have no beards, and their hair is short and curled like the negroes, their complexion being equally black with them. Their weapons are a kind of wooden swords or clubs, and long straight poles sharpened at one end. Of their language
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