268 AUSTRALIA CHAP, xi 



sail in the sun, kept them in this manner exposed the 

 whole day, often turning them, and sometimes turning the 

 quires in which were plants inside out. By this means 

 they came on board at night in very good condition. During 

 this time eleven canoes, in each of which was one Indian, 

 came towards us : we soon saw that the people in them 

 were employed in striking fish. They came within about 

 half a mile of us, intent upon their own employments, and 

 not at all regarding us. Opposite the place where they 

 were several of our people were shooting : one Indian, 

 prompted maybe by curiosity, landed, hauled up his canoe, 

 and went towards them. He stayed about a quarter of an 

 hour, and then launched his boat and went off. Probably 

 that time had been spent behind the trees in watching to 

 see what our people did. I could not find, however, that 

 he was seen by anybody. 



When the damp of the evening made it necessary to 

 send my plants and books on board, I made a short excur- 

 sion to shoot anything I could meet with, and found a 

 large quantity of quails, much resembling our English ones, 

 of which I might have killed as many almost as I pleased, 

 had I given my time up to it ; but my business was to kill 

 variety, and not too many individuals of any one species. 

 The captain and Dr. Solander employed the day in going 

 in the pinnace into various parts of the harbour. They 

 saw fires at several places, and people who all ran away 

 at their approach with the greatest precipitation, leaving 

 behind the shell-fish which they were cooking. Of this our 

 gentlemen took advantage, eating what they found and 

 leaving beads, ribands, etc., in return. They found also 

 several trees which bore a fruit of the Jambosa kind, in 

 colour and shape much resembling cherries. Of these they 

 ate plentifully, and brought home also abundance, which we 

 ate with pleasure, though they had little to recommend 

 them but a slight acid. 



4=th. Myself in the woods, botanising as usual : now 

 quite devoid of fear, as our neighbours have turned out 

 such rank cowards. One of our midshipmen, straying by 



