in
reaching the land before the sun rose; at which time the horizon, from
being clearer, would have presented a more distinct view of distant
objects. The group of islands to the eastward was observed to extend no
farther to the southward than the bearing of North 88 degrees East, and
beyond this was an open, boundless sea. The station whence this bearing
was taken was on the north-west trend of the point.

On their first landing Mr. Roe and Mr. Baskerville, with one of the
boat's crew, ascended the summit and, whilst employed in looking round,
heard the voices of natives among the trees about thirty yards off; but
as they could not see them they very properly descended, and carried on
their operations in the vicinity of the boat; they were onshore for two
or three hours afterwards, but the natives did not make their appearance.
The foot-marks of men and boys were evident on the sand below the
high-water mark, and the remains of fireplaces, and where the natives had
been manufacturing spears, were of recent date. The gentlemen brought off
a few shells and some insects, among which was a beautiful sphynx;
besides which one of the boat's crew caught a species of vampyrus,
apparently similar to the flying fox of Port Jackson. Of shells there was
not a great variety; a chama (Tridacna gigas, Lam.) a pinna, and the
trochus (caerulescens) of Dirk Hartog's Island; but at one of the
fireplaces they found a very large voluta that seemed to have served the
purpose of a water-vessel; it was fifteen inches long and ten inches in
diameter.

The shores appear to abound with shellfish, although Dampier thought that
shells hereabouts were scarce. We could easily have completed our water
at this point, but from the place appearing to be populous and, as the
vessel could not be anchored sufficiently near the shore to have
protected the boat's crews, it was feared that our work might be impeded
by the natives.

The boat returned at ten o'clock while we were getting underweigh; but
the wind being at South-East it was one o'clock before we weathered Point
Cunningham, when the tide was urging us forward rapidly. In steering
round the point we found ourselves passing through some light coloured
water and, before we could extricate the brig, were in three and a half
fathoms; the anchor was immediately dropped underfoot and, with the
assistance of the sails, which were kept full, the vessel was retained
whilst the whale-boat was veered aste