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. 
Ath. 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. - 
12th. 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 
