ve inhabitants of Van Diemen's Land are nearly the same as those
of New Holland; and they at present hold no intercourse with the
European inhabitants. After our prisoners were received on shore, they
sent us another detachment of 150 rank and file of his Majesty's 46th
regiment for Madras, and we began to prepare for sea.

SECTION V.

DEPARTURE FROM VAN DIEMEN'S LAND AND ARRIVAL AT MADRAS--AN
ACCOUNT OF A SEVERE GALE, AND THE GREAT DANGER OF SHIPWRECK,
TOGETHER WITH HER WONDERFUL ESCAPE FROM IT, AND HER SAFE
ARRIVAL IN CUDDALORE.

The morning was beautiful, and the noise of the crew weighing the
anchor, created much life and bustle; and as we proceeded out of the
harbour Nature seemed to smile, and bid us welcome to the watery
element we had been so long traversing. A few days after, we entered
the Endeavour Straits, which are about ten leagues long and five
broad. We had several canoes off from the shore of New Guinea. It is a
long narrow island of the South Pacific Ocean, and north of New
Holland, from which it is separated by this strait, except on the
north-east entrance, where it is counteracted by a group of islands,
called the Prince of Wales's Islands. The land is generally low, and
covered with an astonishing luxuriance of wood and herbage. The
inhabitants resemble those of New Holland, omitting the quantity of
grease and red-ochre with which the New Hollanders besmear their
skins.

Their canoes are neatly carved, and are about twelve feet in length;
they have outriggers to keep them firm on the water, and they are
formed out of the hulls of trees; they carry about five or six men.
They brought on board a quantity of shells, bows, arrows, and clubs,
besides other trifling articles, and they would exchange with us for
bits of old iron-hoops, or in fact any old thing, however trifling.
The breeze freshening, we soon lost sight of the native merchants.

We arrived at Madras on the 12th of September, 1818, after a tedious
passage. Owing to General Munro's intended departure for England, our
cargo was immediately got ready, and as expeditiously received by us,
and we were ready for sea on the 20th of October; but our dispatches
not being in readiness, we were forced to remain at our anchorage, and
on the morning of the 24th the clouds looked very black, and
threatened a severe storm; but no preparations were made on board, and
at 4 P. M. signal was made from the shore for all ships