1770. ROUND THE WORLD. 95 



N. by W. for the northermost land in sight. At 

 noon we were about four leagues from the shore, 

 and by observation, in latitude 30 22', which was 

 nine miles to the southward of our reckoning, longi- 

 tude 206 39' W. Some lands near the shore, of a 

 considerable height, bore W. 



As we advanced to the northward from Botany 

 Bay, the land gradually increased in height, so that 

 in this latitude it may be called a hilly country. Be- 

 tween this latitude and the Bay, it exhibits a pleasing- 

 variety of ridges, hills, vallies, and plains, all clothed 

 with wood, of the same appearance w T ith that which 

 has been particularly described. The land near the 

 shore is in general low and sandy, except the points, 

 which are rocky, and over many of them are high 

 hills, which, at their first rising out of the water, have 

 the appearance of islands. In the afternoon, we had 

 some small rocky islands between us and the land, 

 the southernmost of which lies in latitude 30 10', and 

 the northermost in 29 58', and somewhat more than 

 two leagues from the land : about two miles without 

 the northermost island we had thirty-three fathom 

 water. Having the advantage of a moon, we steered 

 along the shore all night, in the direction of N. and 

 N. by E., keeping at the distance of about three 

 leagues from the land, and having from twenty to 

 twenty-five fathom water. As soon as it was light, 

 having a fresh gale, we made all the sail we could ; 

 and at nine o'clock in the morning, being about 

 a league from the shore, we discovered smoke in 

 many places, and having recourse to our glasses, we 

 saw about twenty of the natives, who had each a 

 large bundle upon his back, which we conjectured 

 to be palm-leaves for covering their houses. We con- 

 tinued to observe them above an hour, during which 

 they walked upon the beach, and up a path that led 

 over a hill of a gentle ascent, behind which we lost 

 sight of them : not one of them was observed to 

 stop and look towards us, but they trudged along, 



