114 cook's first voyage may, 



every way, and formed a large lake, which to the 

 N. W. communicated with the sea ; and I not only 

 saw the sea in this direction, but found the tide of 

 flood coming strongly in from that point : I also ob- 

 served an arm of this lake extending to the eastward, 

 and it is not improbable that it may communicate 

 with the sea in the bottom of the bay, which lies to 

 the westward of CapeTownshend. On the south side 

 of the lake is a ridge of high hills, which I was very 

 desirous to climb ; but it being high-water, and the 

 day far spent, I was afraid of being bewildered 

 among the shoals in the night, especially as the wea- 

 ther was dark and rainy ; and therefore I made the 

 best of my way to the ship. In this excursion I saw 

 only two people, and they were at a distance ; they 

 followed the boat along the shore a good way, but 

 the tide running strongly in my favour, I could not 

 prudently wait for them ; I saw, however, several 

 fires in one direction, and smoke in another, but they 

 also were at a distance. While I was tracing the in- 

 let with Dr. Solander, Mr. Banks was endeavouring 

 to penetrate into the country, where several of the 

 people who had leave to go ashore were also rambling 

 about. Mr. Banks and his party found their course 

 obstructed by a swamp, covered with mangroves, 

 which however they resolved to pass ; the mud 

 was almost knee-deep, yet they resolutely went on - 9 

 but before they got half way, they repented of their 

 undertaking : the bottom was covered with branches 

 of trees interwoven with each other, sometimes they 

 kept their footing upon them, sometimes their feet 

 slipped through, and sometimes they were so entang- 

 led among them, that they were forced to free them- 

 selves by groping in the mud and slime with their 

 hands. In about an hour, however, they crossed it, 

 and judged it might be about a quarter of a mile 

 over. After a short walk, they came up to a place 

 where there had been four small fires, and near them 



7 



