OF LA PEROUSg. 23 



belonging to the fliip, fet out very early in the 

 morning, with an intention to fpend two fuccef- 

 five days in vifiting the environs of Port D'En- 

 trecafteaux. We debarked at its entrance on the 

 \vc{[ fhore. It was the time of low water ; and, by a 

 fortunate chance, we found ourfelves on a bank 

 of oyfters, of which we laid in an ample flock. 



We again faw with pleafure a country that 

 Ave had viiited feveral times the preceding year. 

 Moft of the fmall rivulets which we had then 

 found, and even that from which we had fetched 

 our water at that period, were now dry. 



We foon arrived at the head of the harbour, 

 and, on afcending the river, met with fome 

 very thick, marfhy groves, which often retarded 

 our progrefs. 



Snakes are not very common at Cape Die- 

 men: however, I faw two lying afleep in the 

 fun, under large flumps of trees; but on our 

 approach, they fled into the hollowed trunks, 

 which ferved them as a retreat. They were of 

 the fpecies of the coluber, which I had already 

 fecn the year before, and which is by no means 

 dangerous. 



Although the courfe of the river was ob- 

 flru^led at almoft every itep by large trees, we 

 were neverthelefs obliged to afcend it for the 

 diftance of upwards of two kilometers, before we 

 could find one vv'lnch afforded us the means of 

 c J. ciolTin.^. 



w r 



