OP LA PEROUSE. 193 



board; the boat's way confequently became 

 deadened, and, being too deeply laden, fhe filled 

 by the roughnefs of the lea. At length they ar- 

 rived, exhaufled by fatigue, under the lee of the 

 iflandi where they enjoyed a calm, which was the 

 more agreeable, as they had juft incurred the 

 greateft dangers. The Admiral being extremely 

 uneafy refpedting their fate, at one o'clock in the 

 afternoon fent a boat in fearch of them, knowing 

 very well that the bifcayan could not get on 

 board againft winds fo contrary. We had the 

 fatisfaclion of feeing them again towards 

 night. They related to us, that after having 

 followed the coaft to the fouth-eaft and fouth, 

 during an hour's walk along a pretty ealy road, 

 fome fires had apprifed them of the pretence of 

 the favages, and it was not long before they met 

 with a few. Thefe were the fame that had been 

 feen the preceding day ; they did not fufFer 

 themfelves to be more clofely approached. In 

 the fires, which they abandoned precipitately, 

 were found fhell-fifh itill broiling on the coals; 

 and upwards of thirty kangaroo-ikins, at a little 

 diftance, indicated the fondnefs of thefe inhabit- 

 ants for hunting. 



It appears that they had had no diflike to the 

 bread and the water which had been depofited fof 

 them the preceding day ; but the fmell of the 

 cheefe had probably prevented them from tailing 



VOL. I. o it, 



