* 799-3 



OF TSTEW SOUTH WALES. 



475 



and coves of the river ; but the black fwans alone are remarkable in 

 point of number. Mr. Bafs once made a rough calculation of three 

 hundred fwimming within the fpace of a quarter of a mile fquare, 

 and heard the " dying fong" of fome fcores ; but that fong, fo cele- 

 brated by the poets of former times, exactly referhbled the creaking of 

 a rufty alehoufe fign on a windy day. Not more than two thirds of any 

 flock which they fell in with could fly ; the reft could do no more than 

 flap along upon the furface of the water, being either moulting or not 

 yet come to their full feather and growth, which they require two 

 years to attain. They fwam and flapped alternately, and went on fur- 

 prifingly fart. When in danger, they immerfe their bodies fo far, 

 that the water makes a paflage between their neck and back ; and in 

 this pofition they would frequently turn afide a heavy load of {hot. 

 They feemed to be endowed with much fagacity ; in chace, they foon 

 learned the weaken: point of their purfuers, and, inftead of fwimming 

 diredly from them, as they did at firft, always endeavoured in the 

 moft artful manner to gain the wind. To their affection for their 

 young, Mr. Bafs has feen fome lamentable Sacrifices ; but of their 

 fiercenefs, at leaft when oppofed to man, or their ftrength, he had 

 feen no inftance. 



Among other reptiles were found the fnake with venomous fangs, 

 and fome large brown guanoes. 



This country is inhabited by men; and, if any judgment could be 

 formed from the number of huts which they met, in about the fame 

 proportion as New South Wales. Their extreme fhynefs, however, 

 prevented any communication. They never even got fight of them but 

 once, and then at a great diftance. The huts, of which feven or 

 eight were generally found together, were wretchedly contrived; and 

 it appears fomewhat flrange that in the latitude of 41 0 , want fhould 

 not have fharpened their ideas to the invention of fome more conve- 

 nient habitation, efpecially fince they have been left by nature without 

 the confined dwelling of a hollow tree, or the more agreeable accom- 

 modation of a hole under a rock. A canoe was never met with, and 



3 p 2 concurring 



