60 , A VOYAGE TO [South Coast. 
1801. hills to the top of the cliffs facing the sea ; from whence I had an 
December. . _ . . 
Thurs. 24. opportunity of seeing the bight near Cape Howe, and the form of 
the lakes ; but no water communication was visible between them. 
Our course homeward was pursued along the sandy ridge at 
the back of the cliffs, where the want of water was as great, as the 
super-abundance had been in the low land going out. Towards sun- 
set, when Princess-Royal Harbour was still some miles distant, the 
natural-history painter became unable to proceed further, being- 
overcome with the labour of the walk, with the excessive heat, and 
with thirst. To have detained the whole party in a state of suffer- 
ance, would have been imprudent ; and Mr. Brown and two others 
having volunteered to stay, we left them the scanty remains of our 
provision, and pushed forward to the tents, which we reached at 
eight o'clock. At midnight we had the pleasure to see our friends 
arrive, and the preparation made for sending to their assistance, at 
daybreak, become unnecessary. 
The country through which we passed in this excursion, has 
but little to recommend it. The stony hills of the sea coast were, 
indeed, generally covered with shrubs ; but there was rarely any 
depth of vegetable soil, and no wood. The land slopes down gra- 
dually, behind these hills ; and at the bottom, water drains out, and 
forms a chain of swamps extending from Princess-Royal Harbour 
to the lakes. Here the country is covered with grass and brush- 
wood, and in the parts a little elevated there are forest trees ; 
nevertheless the soil is shallow, and unfit for cultivation. 
Wednes. 3o. On the 30th, our wooding, and the watering of the ship were 
completed, the rigging was refitted, the sails repaired and bent, and 
the ship unmoored. Our friends, the natives, continued to visit 
us; and the old man, with several others being at the tents this 
morning, I ordered the party of marines on shore, to be exercised 
in their presence. The red coats and white crossed belts were 
greatly admired, having some resemblance to their own manner of 
ornamenting themselves ; and the drum, but particularly the fife. 
i 
