SEPT. 1770 NEW GUINEA 329 



what purpose that was done is far beyond my guessing. 

 They had with them several dogs, who ran after them in 

 the same manner as ours do in Europe. 



The house or shed that we saw was very mean and poor. 

 It consisted of four stakes driven into the ground, two being 

 longer than the others. Over these cocoanut leaves were 

 loosely laid ; not half enough to cover it. By the cutting 

 of these stakes, as well as of the arrows or darts which 

 they threw at us, we concluded that they had no iron. 



As soon as ever the boat was hoisted in we made sail, 

 and steered away from this land, to the no small satisfaction 

 of, I believe, three-fourths of our company. The sick became 

 well and the melancholy looked gay. The greater part of 

 them were now pretty far gone with the longing for home, 

 which the physicians have gone so far as to esteem a disease 

 under the name of nostalgia. Indeed I can find hardly 

 anybody in the ship clear of its effects but the captain, Dr. 

 Solander, and myself, and we three have ample constant 

 employment for our minds, which I believe to be the best, 

 if not the only remedy for it. 



4:th. The altered countenances of our common people 

 were still more perceptible than they were yesterday. Two- 

 thirds allowance had, I believe, made the chief difference 

 with them, for our provisions were now so much wasted by 

 keeping, that that allowance was little more than was 

 necessary to keep life and soul together. 



1 2th. As soon as the light was pretty clear, land was 

 seen five or six leagues off, and we stood in for it. It 

 was very high, rising in gradual slopes from the hills, which 

 were in great measure covered with thick woods. Among 

 them, however, we could distinguish bare spots of large 

 extent, which looked as if made by art. Many fires were 

 also seen on all parts of the hills, some very high up. 

 At nightfall we were within a mile and a half off the beach, 

 just abreast of a little inlet. The country seemed to answer 

 very well to the description which Dampier has given of 

 Timor, the land close to the beach being covered with high 

 tapering trees, which he likens to pines (Casuarina), behind 



