AUG. 1770 TORRES STRAITS 295 
As we were now safe at an anchor, the boats were sent upon 
the nearest shoal to search for shell-fish, turtle, or whatever 
else they could get; Dr. Solander and I accompanied them 
in my small boat. On our way we met with two water- 
snakes, one five and the other six feet long: we took them 
both. They much resembled land snakes, only their tails 
were flattened sideways, I suppose, for the convenience of 
swimming, and they were not venomous. The shoal we 
went upon was the very reef we had so nearly been lost 
upon yesterday, now no longer terrible to us. It afforded 
little provision for the ship, no turtle, only 300 lbs. of great 
cockles; some of an immense size. We had in the way of 
curiosity much better success, meeting with many curious 
fish and mollusca, besides corals of many species, all alive, 
among which was the Yubipora musica. I have often 
lamented that we had not time to make proper observations 
upon this curious tribe of animals; but we were so entirely 
taken up with the more conspicuous links of the chain of 
creation, as fish, plants, birds, etc. etc., that it was impossible. 
21st. We observed both last night and this morning that 
the main looked very narrow,’ so we began to look out for 
the passage we expected to find between New Holland and 
New Guinea. At noon one was seen, very narrow but 
appearing to widen; we resolved to try it,so stood in. The 
anchor was dropped, and we went ashore’ to examine whether 
the place we stood into was a bay or a passage; for as we 
sailed right before the trade-wind, we might find difficulty 
in getting out, should it prove to be the former. The hill 
gave us the satisfaction of seeing a strait, at least as far 
as we could see, without any obstructions: in the evening 
a strong tide made us almost certain.’ 
26th. Fine weather and clear fresh trade: stood to the 
W. and deepened our water from 13 to 27 fathoms. 
! York Peninsula, 2 On Possession Island. 
3 Banks does not allude to Cook having here hoisted English colours 
and taken possession of the whole east coast of Australia from 38° S. to 
Cape York in the name of the king, as he had of several other places along 
the coast (Wharton’s Cook, p. 312). Neither Cook nor Banks was aware that 
Torres had sailed through these straits in 1606 (see p. li.) 
