74 VOYAGE IN SEARCH 



I finall Dutch vcffcl to convey to England the 

 fhipwrcckcd crew, with their commander, Com- 

 modore Hunter. 



Having left Botany Bay in this vefTd, and 

 wifhing to touch at Batavia, Commodore Hun- 

 as thwarted by the winds and currents, and 

 carried to the eaftward as far as the 167th of lon- 

 gitude from the meridian of Greenwich. Wifhing 

 to pafs through St. George's Strait, he got light 

 of the Admiralty Iflands, fituated in the i4yth tf 

 of longitude from the meridian of Greenwich, and 

 in 3 25' fouth latitude. Near that lying moft 

 to the eaftward, he faw feveral boats filled with 

 men covered with European fluffs and pieces 

 of cloth ; he could even diftinguim the uni- 

 form of the French navy. Thefe people made 

 fignals with white flags for the fhip to approach. 

 For this Commodore Hunter had the ftrongeft 

 defire; but it was impoflible to cfTecl it, on ac- 

 count of the contrariety of the currents and 

 winds, and the danger of numerous fhoals. 



Commodore Hunter had feen La Peroufe at 

 Botany Bay, and was particularly intimate with 

 him. He had learnt from him that it was his 

 intention, on leaving Botany Bay, to pafs 

 through St. George's Strait, in order to get to 

 northward. He has no doubt that it was on 

 thefc iflands that the Aflrolabe and Bouflble 



were 



