AUSTRALIA 75 



fled into the woods. A few hurled their spears, 

 but without effect. 



During the few days that the Endeavour re- 

 mained at anchor in Botany Bay Cook and the 

 naturalists explored the interior. They traversed 

 pleasant country, with varied woodland and 

 prairie, of which the soil, profuse in plants, was 

 sometimes rich and sometimes sandy. Wonder- 

 ful birds, parrakeets of startling colours, chat- 

 tered in the great trees. Enormous oysters, mus- 

 sels and shells were found in abundance on the 

 banks of sand and mud which were uncovered 

 at low water. 



At sunrise on May 6th the Endeavour left 

 Botany Bay and set sail to the northward along 

 the coast. The travellers saw from the ship 

 several natives, entirely naked, like all those 

 whom they had seen up till then, who took not 

 the slightest notice of the vessel. On May 22nd 

 Cook anchored in a pretty and beautifully shel- 

 tered bay. He discovered upon landing a chan- 

 nel which led into a great lake, round which 

 grew reeking mangroves, the first of this species 

 which the travellers had seen on their voyage. 

 On the rocky shores and the dunes which 

 stretched along them were standing some big 

 birds, which Banks and Solander thought were 

 pelicans. It was impossible to get within range 

 of them, but they were able to kill a fat bustard, 



