THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 8i 



height. Moft of the fummits were capt with fnow, and j^^[ll^{^^j. 



they appeared as naked and barren as any we had feen. 



The fmalleft veftige of a tree or flirub was not difcoverable, 



either inland or on the coafl; and, I think, I may venture 



to pronounce that the country produces none. The low 



land about Cape Digby, when examined through our glafTes, 



refembled the reft of the low land we had before met with ; 



that is, it appeared to be partly naked and partly covered 



with a green turf; a defcription of which fhall be given in 



its proper place. The fliore is compofed of fandy beaches, 



on which were many penguins, and other oceanic birds ; 



and an immenfe number of fliags kept perpetually flying 



about the fhips as we failed along. 



Being defirous of getting the length of Cape George, to 

 be aflured whether or no it was the moft Southerly point of 

 the whole land, I continued to ftretch to the South, under 

 all the fail we could carry, till half an hour paft feven 

 o'clock; when, feeing no likelihood of accomplifliing my 

 defign, as the wind had, by this time, fhifted to Weft South 

 Weft, the very dire(51:ion in which we wanted to go, I took 

 the advantage of the fhifting of the wind, and flood away 

 from the coaft. 



At this time Cape George bore South 53" Weft, diftant 

 about feven leagues. A fmall ifland that lies oft' the pitch 

 of the Cape, was the only land we could fee to the South of 

 it ; and we were farther confirmed that tliere was no more 

 in that quarter, by a South Weft fwell which we met as 

 foon as we brought the Cape to bear in this direction. 



But we have ftill a ftronger proof that no part of this land 

 can extend much, if at all, to the Southward of Cape 

 George ; and that is, Captain Furneaux's track in February 



Vol. I. M 1773, 



