KANGAROOS. 465 



to have a frightful appearance, for they are nearly black, and full 

 as large as a partridge ; they have indeed no horns, but the fancy 

 of a man who thought he saw the devil might easily supply that 

 defect." 



The next day Captain Cook remarks : " As I was walking this 

 morning a little distance from the ship, I saw myself one of the 

 animals which had been so often described ; it was of a light 

 mouse-colour, and in size and shape very much resembling a 

 greyhound, and I should have taken it for a wild dog, if, instead of 

 running, it had not leapt like a hare or deer ; its legs were said to 

 be very slender, and the print of its foot to be like that of a goat, 

 but where I saw it the grass was so high that the legs were 

 concealed, and the ground was too hard to receive the track. 

 Mr. Banks also had an imperfect view of this animal, and was of 

 opinion that its species was hitherto unknown." 



Again on Friday, the 6th July, the Endeavour being still in 

 the river, Mr. Banks, with Lieutenant G-ore and three men, went 

 on a hunting and exploring expedition, and on their return on 

 Sunday, the 8th, reported that on the previous day " with the first 

 dawn they set out in search of game, and in a walk of many miles 

 they saw four animals of the same kind, two of which Mr. Banks' 

 greyhound fairly chased, but they threw him out at a great 

 distance by leaping over the long, thick grass, which prevented his 

 running. This animal was observed not to run upon four legs, but to 

 bound or hop forward upon two, like the Jerbua or Mus Jaculus." 



Finally on Saturday, July 14th, Cook records the fact that " Mr. 

 Gore, who went out this day with his gun, had the good fortune 

 to kill one of these animals which had been so much the subject 

 of our speculation." 



Accompanying this narrative there is a drawing of the animal, 

 which they continued to call a Jcangaroo, for this was the name 

 which had ah-eady been given it by the natives. 



The following day the creature that had been shot was dressed 

 for dinner, and, writes Captain Cook, it "proved most excellent 

 meat," an opinion in which others who have dined off kangaroo 

 do not quite concur, but all agree that the tail makes most 

 excellent soup, and the dried tongues are capital eating. 



H h 



