OF LA PtROUSE. 31^ 



. ,,^very where with marfhes, and covered 



langroves. According to this report 



of our officers were of opinion that it 



. [i be feared that there was not, through- 



the whole length of this channel, fuf- 



:*ent water to pafs with our fliips ; ncver- 



lelefs we entered it the next morning, the 



25th, and, after having flood on about two my- 



riameters, we dropped anchor on the approach 



of night. 



The following day another boat was fent to 

 finifh founding this paflage. She returned on 

 the 29th in the afternoon, and we learnt that it 

 was ftrewn with a great number of fand banks 

 that were very difficult to be perceived on ac- 

 count of their blackifli colour, which rendered 

 this outlet extremely danp;erous : accordingly 

 it was refolved to enter again into the btrut of 

 Bouton ; and after we had been forced to come 

 to there, frequently feveral times in the coui fe 

 of a day, we, on the 7th of October, at Ici^^th 

 reached its fouthern extremity, where v\e '^"- 

 chored near the village of Bouton, two kilo.ne- 

 ters to the northward of the nearelt coa.i. 



We had employed a great deal ot t;:. e in 

 getting through this Strait, becaufc we h.-.d 

 been under the neceility of remaining ar anchr.r 

 every night, and before we could rrakc fa 1 m 

 the day \ve were almoil always obL^ed to vva,t 



till 



