454 VOYAGE IN SEARCH 



offing, and indicated to us a change of bottom; 

 but a line of fourteen fathoms could not reach 

 the ground. 



The breeze foon frefhened, and began to blow 

 very ftror.g. Our experience had taught us to 

 feaT on this coafl the fouth-weft winds, which 

 were become almoft always boifterous: for thi$ 

 reafon we hauled off fouth-eaft by eaft, to gain an 

 offi ng. 



The want of water was feverely felt on board 

 our two (hips, and if we could not find an im- 

 mediate opportunity of fup/!ytng ourfelvcs with 

 that article, we muft in a little time be under the 

 neceflity of leaving the coaft : but had we begun 

 at its eafternmoft part, in order to range along it 

 from eatt to weft, we thould have had the advan- 

 tage of taking in a good flock of water at Cape 

 Diemen ; inflead of which, our water was already 

 JbaH expended when we began the furvey of this 

 land by its wefternmoft point. This confidera- 

 tion and many others onirht to induce the navi- 

 gator to follow it from eaft to weft ; befides, the 

 impetuolity of the fouth-weft winds expofe? vef- 

 fels to the grcateft dangers, while the eafterly 

 winds, which are the moil conftant, never blow 

 with violence. 



On the 28th we were only two kilometers 

 from the coaft, and the lead gave us fometimes 

 a bottom of coarie fand, and, at others, of rock ; 



the. 



