4 8b ACCOUNT OF THE ENGLISH COLONY [January,. 



the loweft. Their afpe£fc, like that of the main, befpeaks extreme 

 fterility. 



A great fmoke that arofe at the back of one of the bights mewed 

 the main to be inhabited ; but they could not fuppofe the people of 

 this place to be furniihed with canoes, when thofe of Adventure Bay,, 

 in their neighbourhood, were unprovided with them. Nothing,, 

 therefore, was- left to their choice, but to allow that they might 

 tranfport themfelves over, either upon logs of wood, or by fwi mining 

 acrofs ; and, as the moft probable reward of fuch- an exertion would 

 be, the capture of birds while breeding, or the feizure of their eggs, 

 the utility of fpreading fires in facilitating fuch operations is ob- 

 vious. 



After pairing feveral places of fmaller note, they entered Herdf- 

 man's Cove ; above which, it being the opinion of Mr. Bafs and his 

 companion that the {loop could not proceed, they went up the Der- 

 went River in her boat, imagining that one tide would enable them 

 to reach its fource ; but in this they were miftaken, falling, as they 

 believed, feveral miles mort of it. Where the returning tide met 

 them, the water had become perfectly frelh ; the ftream was two hun- 

 dred and thirty yards in breadth, and in depth three fathoms. It 

 was wedged in between high grafiy hills that defcended to the river 

 upon a quick Hope, and had a very grand appearance. But the only 

 culturable patches of land that they faw were fome few breaks in the 

 hills, and fome narrow flips that were found at their foot clofe to the 

 water's fide. 



In their way up, a human voice faluted them from the hills ; on 

 which they landed, carrying with them one of feveral fwans which 

 they had juft {hot. Having nearly reached the fummit, two females,, 

 with a fhort covering hanging loofe from their moulders, fuddenly 

 appeared at fome little diftance before them ; but, fnatching up each 

 a fmall baiket, thefe fcampered off. A man then prefented himfelf, 

 and fuffered them to approach him without any figns of fear or 



diftruft. 



