282 AUSTRALIA CHAP, xn 



nearly overcome us, and here we found the wool and oakum, 

 or fothering, which had relieved us in so unexpected a 

 manner. 



The effect of this coral rock upon her bottom is difficult 

 to describe, but more to believe ; it had cut through her 

 plank and deep into one of her timbers, smoothing the 

 gashes still before it, so that the whole might easily be 

 imagined to have been cut with an axe. 1 



Myself employed all .day in laying in plants; the 

 people who were sent to the other side of the water to 

 shoot pigeons, saw an animal as large as a greyhound, of a 

 mouse colour, and very swift ; 2 they also saw many Indian 

 houses, and a brook of fresh water. 



24=th. Gathering plants, and hearing descriptions of the 

 animal, which is now seen by everybody. A seaman who 

 had been out in the woods brought home the description of 

 an animal he had seen, composed in so seamanlike a style 

 that I cannot help mentioning it ; " it was (says he) about 

 as large and much like a one-gallon cagg, as black as the 

 devil, and had two horns on its head ; it went but slowly, 

 but I dared not touch it." 



25th. In gathering plants to-day I had the good fortune 

 to see the beast so much talked of, though but imperfectly ; 

 he was not only like a greyhound in size and running, but 

 had a tail as long as any greyhound's; what to liken 

 him to I could not tell, nothing that I have seen at all 

 resembles him. 



26th. Since the ship has been hauled ashore, the water 

 has, of course, all gone backwards; and my plants, which 

 for safety had been stowed in the bread room, were this day 

 found under water. Nobody had warned me of this danger, 

 which never once entered my head. The mischief, however, 

 was now done, so I set to work to remedy it to the best of 

 my power. The day was scarcely long enough to get them 



1 ' ' The manner these planks were damaged or cut out, as I may say is 

 hardly credible ; scarce a Splinter was to be seen, but the whole was cut away 

 as if it had been done by the Hands of Man with a blunt -edge Tool."- 

 Wharton's Cook, p. 280. 2 A kangaroo. 



