306 SOME ACCOUNT OF NEW HOLLAND cu. x11 
probably in no country more admirable than in this. The 
few observations I have written down concerning them are 
chiefly from conjecture, and therefore are not at all to be 
depended upon. Were any man, however, to settle here 
who had time and inclination to observe their economy, I 
am convinced that it would far exceed that of any insects 
we know, not excepting our much-admired bees. 
The sea, however, made some amends for the barren- 
ness of the land. Fish, though not so plentiful as they 
generally are in the higher latitudes, were far from scarce ; 
when we had an opportunity of hauling the seine we 
generally caught from 50 to 200 Ibs. of fish in a tide. The 
kinds were various, none I think but mullets being known in 
Europe. In general, however, they were sufficiently palat- 
able, and some very delicate food. The sting-rays, indeed, 
which were caught on the southern part of the coast were 
very coarse; so that, as little else was caught there, we 
were obliged to be satisfied with the comforts of plenty, 
and enjoy more pleasure in satiety than in eating. To the 
northward again, when we were entangled within the great 
reef, was a quantity of turtle hardly to be credited, every 
shoal swarmed with them. The weather indeed was gener- 
ally so boisterous, that our boats could not row after them 
as fast as they could swim, so that we got but few; but 
they were excellent, and so large that a single turtle always 
served for the whole ship. Had we been there either at 
the time of laying or in a more moderate season, we might 
doubtless have taken any quantity. All the shoals that 
were dry at half ebb afforded plenty of fish, left dry in 
small hollows of the rocks, and a profusion of large shell-fish 
(Chama gigas) such as Dampier describes, vol. iii. p. 191. 
The largest of these had ten or fifteen pounds of meat 
in them; it was indeed rather strong, but I believe a 
very wholesome food, and well relished by the people in 
general. On different parts of the coast were also found 
oysters, which were said to be very well tasted; the shells 
also of good-sized lobsters and crabs were seen, but these it 
was never our fortune to catch. 
