than the abode of a human creature:
the opening was at one side, and about eighteen inches in diameter; but
even this could be reduced when they were inside, by heaping the sand up
before it. In one of the huts were found several strips of bamboo, and
some fishing-nets, rudely made of the fibres of the bark of trees.

Mr. Cunningham took the advantage of a good spot of soil in the vicinity
of our wooding-place to sow every sort of seed that we possessed, namely,
peach, apricot, loquat (a Chinese fruit), lemon, seventeen sorts of
culinary seeds, tobacco, roses, and a variety of other European plants;
and in addition to these, the coconut was planted, which we had found
upon the beach of South-West Bay, but it is very doubtful whether any
have succeeded, on account of the custom that the natives have when the
grass is dry, of setting fire to it, so that there is little doubt but
that all the annual plants have been destroyed.

The bay was called Mullet Bay, in consequence of the immense shoals of
that fish which were seen near the shores, and of which Boongaree speared
several with his fiz-gig. The trepang were found about the rocks on the
beach in great numbers, as they were also on the South Island.

April 8.

On the 8th we left Mullet Bay, and made an unsuccessful attempt to beat
round the north end of the island, and to return by steering through the
strait that separates the Northern from the Southern Island: we were,
however, prevented by the freshness of the wind, and the strength of the
current.

April 10.

On the 10th, we bore up with the intention of returning to South-West
Bay. On approaching it, however, we were surprised with the sight of the
Malay fleet steering through Macquarie Strait, towards two of their proas
that had already anchored in a sandy bay on the South-West side of Sims'
Island. It was therefore determined that we should proceed as far to the
westward before nightfall as we could, and as the bay to the South-East
of Sims' Island had not been sufficiently seen by us, we steered off so
as to reconnoitre the proas, and improve the survey at the same time.

As soon as we had reached the island, all the vessels but one had
anchored, and their crews were busily engaged in passing to and from the
shore in small canoes, apparently watering. We passed by at a small
distance with our colours flying, which was answered by each hoisting a
Dutch jack; but one of the proas, which was thought to be th