NEW SOUTH WALES. 
257 
Though thefe canoes ahvays fail on the fame fide, 
yet they are fo contrived as to fail one way as well as 
CHAP, 
XXI. 
June, 1788. 
the other, and the Indians manage them with fuch dex- 
terity that they put about much fooner than our boats. 
Every canoe has a fail, which in general is very large ; 
they appear to be made of raw-filk, neatly fewed toge- 
ther, and are cut in the form of our flioulder of mut- 
tuii: fail, with a yard at the fore-leach, and another at the 
foot, fo that when they want to put their canoe about, 
they only have to lliift their tack and bring it to leeward 
of the mail : in Ihort, from what little Captain Marfliall 
faw of thefe people, they appeared to be lively, inge- 
nious and expert. 
After quitting thefe new difcovered Iflands, Captain 
Marfliall flood to the northward, with a light breeze at 
eaft north-eaft, and at five o'clock in the morning of the 
20th, they faw an ifland bearing eaft north-eaft, eight Friday 2®^ 
miles diftant ; it appeared very low, and almofl level 
with the water, fo that when only four miles diftant they 
could perceive nothing but trees. When Captain Mar- 
iliall got clofe in with the land, he found it to be a 
chain of iflands, extending from fouth-eaft: to north-wefl; 
for the diftance of more than thirty leagues. Having a 
favourable breeze, they ran along the iflands about three 
miles from fliore, and feveral canoes with fails fet, came 
after the fliip, but none of them would come near her. 
L I 
Great 
