OF L4 PER0USE. 30I 



perceived at its entrance near the Batanta coaft, 

 appeared to us for a moment to direct her courfe 

 towards the Efperancej but fhe foon returned 

 to the fhore. 



Having brought to for fome time to wait for 

 the Efperance, we remarked that the currents 

 carried us pretty rapidly through the Strait. As 

 the tides have much influence on thefe currents, 

 they flackened coniiderably towards midnight, 

 and early the next morning. 



Five canoes were coafting along the eaft fhore, 

 at a good diftance from each other. We re- 

 marked one of them that had hoifted a flag, which 

 we took for Portuguefe colours. The wind car- 

 ried usclofe to the Salwatty coaft, and prevented us 

 from ftanding towards them ; befides, none of 

 them appeared inclined to come near us. Thefe 

 favages knew not our intentions ; perhaps they 

 were apprehenfive that we were fome of thofe 

 Europeans who are induced, through cupidity, 

 to employ every means of enticing them on board 

 in order to make flaves of them. 



Pitt's Strait is fkirted by high land, covered 

 every where with large trees. 



We continued lying to the whole night, and 

 at nine o'clock in the evening we heard, towards 

 the welt fhore, the voice of fome natives, who 

 feemed to be addrefling themfelves to us. A Are 

 appeared at the fame time, on the weft point of 



the 



