Western Coasts.} INTRODUCTION. j; x 
Peak of Teneriffe, 16 0 45' to the west of Greenwich) ; where the ViamW 
variation was observed to be 10° 28' west: they afterwards had 25 1696 ' 
fathoms, on better ground. On the 29th, they anchored under the 
island Rottenest, which lies in lat. 31 0 50', long. 134 0 25';* and next 
day, a piece of wood, which had some time been fixed to the deck 
of a ship, was found upon the shore ; but the nails were then rusted 
away. Fire wood was abundant here. 
Jan. 5. Vlaming went on shore (to the main coast), with eighty- im. 
eight armed men, and walked inland to the eastward. There were 
a few large, and some small trees, from which dropped a kind of 
gum-lac ; but they found nothing which could be used as food : the 
birds were small cockatoos and green parrots, and both were very 
s hy- At the end of three hours walk they came to a piece of 
water, which was salt, and upon the beach were footsteps of full- 
grown persons and of children. No men were seen, but they ob- 
served many smokes ; and found three deserted huts, so low and ill- 
constructed as to be inferior to those of the Hottentots. 
On the 6th, they divided themselves into three parties : one took 
to the north, another to the south, and the third went four miles 
east, more into the interior ; but, except one or two decayed huts, 
they met with nothing. Being returned to the salt lake without 
finding fresh water, they dug a pit near the side of it, and obtained 
wherewith to relieve their thirst. The lake had fallen a foot, which 
shewed it to have a communication with the sea ; and they after- 
wards found the outlet, a little to the southward. No noxious ani- 
mal of any kind was seen ; and after remaining on shore all night, 
they returned on board on the 7th. The ships were then anchored 
* The account in Van Keulen is somewhat different. He says " we steered for the 
" Land of Endragt ; and on Dec. 28, got soundings in 63 fathoms, sandy bottom. The 
" ensuing day we had 30 fathoms, and the coast was then in sight. The Island Rottenest, 
in 32° south latitude, was the land we steered for ; and we had from 30 to 10 fathoms; 
" in which last we anchored on a sandy bottom." 
