OF LA PEROUSE. 179 



they were eafily got off again. It was furprifing 

 that it fhould have been thought that we were 

 in fafety, when riding by a fmall anchor recent- 

 ly dropped in a muddy bottom : this fort of 

 bottom is good for holding only when the an- 

 chor has reached a certain depth. It ought na- 

 turally to have been forefecn, that the Itream 

 anchor, newly let go, had not time to bury it- 

 fclf fufficiently for holding againrl: fo heavy 

 fqualls. 



We were now waiting only for a fair wind in 

 order to fet fail. That which blew was contrary 

 to us during the whole day of the 15th : it was 

 boiflerous the following night, and notwith- 

 ffanding the fhip had juft been afhore, Dauribeau 

 wifhed that we fhould ride only by a fmall an- 

 chor ; but the Admiral felt the neceflity of let- 

 ting go one of the bowers. 



During our flay at Cape Diemen we had feen 

 the natives only at a conliderable diftance : thofe 

 who had perceived us had always made off with 

 precipitation : fome had left behind them their 

 houfehold utenfils, which gave us a poor idea 

 of their industry; thefe were bafkets clumfily 

 made of the fpecies of fea-rufh known by the 

 name of juncus acutus; they had likewife very 

 frequently left their water- vcffels, which they 

 make of a large piece of funis pahnatus, cut 

 circularly, and gathered in like a bag ufed for 

 n 2 I holding 



