60 PERCY ISLES. 



creek filled at hig-h water^ runs up for a mile. At 

 the head of this hollow a deeply worn dried-up water- 

 course indicated the periodical abundance of fresh 

 water ; and b}^ tracing* it up about a mile further^ 

 I found man}^ larg^e pools among- the rocks contain- 

 ing* a sufficient supply for the ship^ but unavailable 

 to us in consequence of the difficulty in g-etting" at 

 it. Sig*ns of natives were frequently met with^ but 

 none were recent. From the quantities of turtle- 

 bones about the fire-places^ it is evident that these 

 animals occasionally resort to a small sandy beach 

 near the entrance of the basin above alluded to. 



The botany of the island afforded at this 

 unfavourable season not more than fixe, or six 

 species of plants in flower^ some of ^vhich I had 

 met with elsewhere. A species of pine^ Araucaria 

 Cunningliamiy is found here in small quantities^ but 

 more plentifully on the adjacent Pine Islets^ where 

 it appears to constitute the only arboreal vegetation. 

 A few cabbag'e palms^ Corypha AustraliSy are the 

 onlv other trees ^Aort'i mentionino*. Amono- the 

 birds observed^ black and vvhite cockatoos^ swamp 

 pheasants^ and crows were the most numerous. A 

 fine banded snail^ Helix Inceij vras the only land- 

 shell met with. A Littorina and a Nerita occur 

 abundantly on the trunks and stems of the man- 

 groves^ and the creek swarmed with sting'-rays 

 (Tryqon)^ and numbers of a dull green s^^imming 

 crab. 



During our stay-j the bush was thoughtlessl}^ set 



