Western Coasts.] INTRODUCTION. ] xv 
" there were several things like haycocks, standing in the savannah ; Dampiek. 
" which, at a distance, we thought were houses, looking just like the 16 "' 
" Hottentots' houses at the Cape of Good Hope ; but we found them 
" to be so many rocks.* 
The land near the sea-coast is described as equally sandy with 
the parts before visited, and producing, amongst its scanty vegeta- 
tion, nothing for food. No stream of fresh water was seen, nor 
could any. fit to drink, be procured by digging. 
Quitting this inhospitable shore, captain Dampier weighed his 
anchor on September 5, with the intention of seeking water and 
refreshments further on to the north-eastward. The shoals obliged 
him to keep at a considerable distance from the land ; and finally, 
when arrived at the latitude i6°g', to give up his project, and direct 
his course for Timor. 
With the voyage of Dampier terminates the information gained of conclusive 
the Western Coasts, previously to the year 1801. Monsieur de St. Remarks - 
Alonarn had, indeed, seen some points or islands, in the year 1772, 
when he commanded the French flute Le Gros Ventre ; but the par- 
ticulars are not generally known, being, in all probability, of little 
importance. 
The summary of the knowledge possessed by the public, and the 
objects to which investigation might be usefully directed in these 
parts of Terra Australis, were as follow. The outline of the north- 
west coast was known upon the authority, as generally believed, of 
Tasman ; with some points corrected by Dampier. The accuracy of 
Tasman's chart was, however, very much called in doubt : instead 
of being a continued shore, as the Dutch chart represented it, Dam- 
pier found the southern parts of De Witt's Land to consist of a range 
of islands. And he gives it as his opinion, that the northern part of 
* Dampier could not have examined these rocks closely ; for there can be little doubt 
that they were the ant hills described by Pelsertas being « so large, that they might have 
" been taken for the houses of Indians." 
VOL. I. K 
