S8 cook's first voyage may, 



miles into the country, proceeding afterwards in the 

 direction of the coast. We found this place without 

 wood, and somewhat resembling our moors in Eng- 

 land ; the surface of the ground, however, was co- 

 vered with a thin brush of plants, about as high as 

 the knees. The hills near the coast are low, but others 

 rise behind them, increasing by a gradual ascent to a 

 considerable distance, with marshes and morasses 

 between. When we returned to the boat, we found 

 that our people had caught with the seine a great 

 number of small fish, which are well known in the 

 West-Indies, and which our sailors call leather-jack- 

 ets, because their skin is remarkably thick. I had 

 sent the second lieutenant out in the yawl a striking, 

 and when we got back to the ship, we found that he 

 also had been very successful. He had observed 

 that the large sting-rays, of which there is great 

 plenty in the bay, followed the flowing tide into very 

 shallow water ; he therefore took the opportunity of 

 flood, and struck several in not more than two or 

 three feet water : one of them weighed no less 

 than two hundred and forty pounds after his en- 

 trails were taken out. 



The next morning, as the wind still continued 

 northerly, I sent out the yawl again, and the peo- 

 ple struck one still larger, for when his entrails were 

 taken out he weighed three hundred and thirty-six 

 pounds. 



The great quantity of plants which Mr. Banks and 

 Dr. Solander collected in this place induced me- to 

 give it the name of Botany Bay. It is situated in 

 the latitude of 34 S., longitude 208 37' W. It is 

 capacious, safe, and convenient, and may be known 

 by the land on the sea-coast, which is nearly level, 

 and of a moderate height ; in general higher than it 

 is farther inland, with steep rocky cliffs next the 

 sea, which have the appearance of a long island lying 

 close under the shore. The harbour lies about the 

 middle of this land, and in approaching it from the 



7 



