OF LA PE ROUSE. * 1 47 



lake is not above a kilometer and a half long, by 

 a demi-kilometer at its greater! breadth. 



On our return, by a more direct path through 

 the wood, we perceived fome fkeletons of ca- 

 bins. Branches fixed in the ground bv the two 

 ends were fupported one upon the other, to 

 form hemifpherical huts, of a meter and a half 

 in height : the leaves of a particular fort of grafs 

 were ufed as faftenings, and held together this 

 frame, which was then almoit far enough ad- 

 vanced to receive the covering of bark that ren- 

 ders thefe cabins impervious to rain. 



It appeared that the human fpecies is here very 

 fcarce or very fhy. Although a great number 

 of perfons belonging to the two fhips had 

 fauntered to a coniiderable distance, they had not 

 met with a fingle inhabitant; 



There prevail at Cape Diemen, on account of 

 its high latitude, impetuous winds, which come 

 down in flurries from the fummit of the moun- 

 tains. For fear of expofing our cables to be rot- 

 ted in the muddy bottom where we lay at an- 

 chor, it had been refolved to take them in, and 

 to ride by our chain. A violent fquall from the 

 north-well: carried us adrift, and we went aihore 

 on the eafr coaft, working ourfelves into the mud. 

 After having got in the fhort piece of cable made 

 fa ft to the chain, we were greatly aftonimed to 

 fee that one of the links was broken. No flaw 



l 2 was 



