MAY 1770 EXCURSION INLAND 267 
lst May. The captain, Dr. Solander, and myself, and 
some of the people, making in all ten muskets, resolved 
to make an excursion into the country. We accordingly 
did so, and walked till we completely tired ourselves, which 
was in the evening; seeing by the way only one Indian, who 
ran from us as soon as he saw us. The soil, wherever we 
saw it, consisted of either swamps or light sandy soil, on 
which grew very few species of trees, one) which was large, 
yielding a gum much like Sangwis draconis ; but every place 
was covered with vast quantities of grass. We saw many 
Indian houses, and places where they had slept upon the 
grass without the least shelter. In these we left beads, 
ribbons, ete. We saw one quadruped about the size of a 
rabbit. My greyhound just got sight of him, and instantly 
lamed himself against a stump which lay concealed in the 
long grass. We saw also the dung of a large animal that 
had fed on grass, much resembling that of a stag; also the 
footprints of an animal clawed like a dog or wolf, and as 
large as the latter, and of a small animal whose feet were 
like those of a polecat or weasel. The trees overhead 
abounded very much with loryquets and cockatoos, of which 
we shot several. 
2nd. The morning was rainy, and we had already so 
many plants that we were well contented to find an 
excuse for staying on board to examine them a little. In 
the afternoon, however, it cleared up, and we returned 
to our old occupation of collecting, in which we had our 
usual good success. Tupia, who strayed from us in pursuit 
of parrots, of which he shot several, told us on his return 
that he had seen nine Indians, who ran from him as soon 
as they perceived him. 
3rd. Our collection of plants was now grown so im- 
mensely large that it was necessary that some extraordinary 
care should be taken of them, lest they should spoil in the 
books. I therefore devoted this day to that business, and 
carried ashore all the drying paper, nearly 200 quires, of 
which the larger part was full, and spreading them upon a 
1 A species of Hucalyptus, or gum tree. 
