OF LA PEROUSE. 415 



mountain, which appeared to ft retch a myria- 

 meter and a half from ealt to weft. This con- 

 figuration leaves no doubt that the ftones of 

 which it is formed are extremely hard. 

 ^ As yet we had not perceived any fign of in- 

 habitants fince wc had coafted thefe barren 

 fhores. It was to be prefumed that fome fpring 

 of clear water muft attract them towards the foot 

 of this mountain. Preiently the fmoke of two 

 large fires, which they lighted there, made known 

 to us their prefence. 



At half paft four o'clock, after we had doubled 

 a cape, terminated by fome rocks at no great 

 diftance from the coaft, we found ourfelves op- 

 poilte to a bay as wide, but not fo deep as that 

 which we had feen in the morning; it was fkirted 

 by lands in general very low ; we remarked, how- 

 ever, towards its eaftern tide, a few hills de- 

 tached from each other. It affords a good Shel- 

 ter againft winds from the weft and fouth-weft, 

 but it is entirely open to thofe from the fouth-eaft. 



Some red-fhafted tropic-birds, and a few al-; 

 batrolfes of a darker hue than the common ones 

 of the Cape of Good Hope, were flying round us. 



We lay to during the night, and, in founding 

 every hour, we had conftantly thirty-three fa- 

 thoms water, with a bottom of gray fand. 



At half paft four o'clock in the morning of the 

 9th we ftood on north- eaft by north, in order 



to 



