OP LA PER0USE, 413 



on which we could not diftinguifti the fmalleft 

 trace of vegetation. 



At noon we were in latitude 3 8 17' fouth, 

 and longitude 1 1 5 1 2' eaft. Prefentl y the moun- 

 tains became lower, and wc had a view of a 

 vaft plain of fand, where we faw fcattered here 

 and there at great diftances fevcral hills, fome of 

 which formed on the fhore capes projecting not 

 far into the fea. 



About four o'clock in the afternoon we paflTed 

 a clufter of rocks fituated near the coaft, and 

 thinly covered with ihrubs, the duU green of 

 which attefled the aridity of the foil. At fix 

 o'clock we were oppofite to a bight, the depth of 

 which we could not difcover ; a fhip would have 

 been perfectly fheltered there from the tempef- 

 tuous winds that blew fince we had been ranging 

 along this coaft. A cape which ran out from 

 the north-eaft to the fouth-eafl, near a myria- 

 meter towards the open fea, with fome iflots and 

 feveral rocks placed at the entrance of this bay, 

 afforded a good fhelter againft the winds from 

 the offing; but the fea running high, we were 

 prevented from fending a boat to found this 

 inlet. 



We fpent the night lying to. 

 Being a demi-myriameter from the coaft, we 

 founded in forty-one fathoms and a half, over a 

 bottom of broken fhells and madrepora, mixed 



with 



