^6 VOYAGE IN SEARCH 



although unaffifted : they continued not the lefs 

 to give us thefe marks of kindnefs; they often 

 even placed themfelves, one on the right, and 

 the other on the left, in order to fupport us 

 ftill better. As they obftinately perfifted in 

 paying us thefe obliging attentions, we re- 

 folved no longer to refufe them. 



Certainly they rightly fufpevfled that we had 

 formed the projedl of going to Port D'Entre- 

 cafteaux ; for we twice miftook the road, and 

 they conftantly put us again into that which 

 led direcflly thither. 



A little incident gave us reafon to think that 

 they fometimes catch birds by hand. A parra- 

 keet, of the fpecies drawn in Plafe X. of which 

 J Ihall prefently give a defcription, palTed quite 

 clofe to us, and fettled at a little diftance oa 

 the turf. Immediately two of the young fa- 

 v;iges fet off, purfucd it, and were on the point 

 of putting their hand on it, when the bird flevT 

 away. 



It is to be picfumcd, that at Cape Diemcnt 

 there are met with no fcrpents whofe bite is dan- 

 gerous ; at lead, if there exift any, the inhabi- 

 tants know very well how to dilHnguifh them 

 from the others : they made us remark one, 

 which was gliding along tlie grafs pretty near 

 them ; but it appeared n.ot to infpire them with 

 anv fear. 



At 



