Nnyts' Archipelago.] TERRA AUSTRALIS. 109 
kanffuroo was brought off, as also a yellow snake, which was the isoa. 
second killed on this island. The great heat deterred the naturalists Thurg> £ 
from going on shore this morning, for the very little variety in the 
vegetable productions presented no inducement to a repetition of their 
fatigue. I landed to see what further could be discovered of the 
neighbouring islands ; and we then prepared to get under way so 
soon as the breeze set in from the south-eastward, which it usually 
did about noon, after a few hours of calm or of light airs. 
The small bay in the Isle St. Francis, which I call Petrel 
Bay, affords excellent shelter for two or three ships; but no fresh 
water, not even to rince our mouths, could be found at this time ; 
and a few scattered bushes were the nearest approach to wood upon 
the island. Petrels, pinguins, and a few hair seals may be procured, 
and probably some geese in the wet season. 
I had hitherto observed upon this coast, that the south-east 
and east winds produced the same effect upon the barometer as at 
the Cape of Good Hope, in keeping the mercury high, commonly at 
or above 30 inches ; and the more fresh was the wind, the higher it 
stood ; but within the last few days, the barometer was much lower 
with the same winds, and at this time was at 29,74. The dense haze 
which prevailed might possibly have caused the change, but I sus- 
pected another reason for it. Winds coming off the land, I had 
remarked, had a tendency to depress the mercury, and sea winds to 
make it rise, though no change took place in the weather ; and it 
therefore seemed probable, as the trending of the coast beyond 
these islands was unknown, that the south-east and east winds came 
off the land, and not from the sea, as before ; in which case, the 
unknown coast would be found trending to the southward, a conjec- 
ture which, it will be seen, was verified. That there was no entrance 
to a strait, nor any large inlet near these islands, was almost demon- 
strated by the insignificance of the tides ; for neither in Fowler's 
Bay, nor at this Isle St. Francis, could any set be perceived; nor was 
there any rise by the shore worthy of notice. 
S s 
V OL. I. 
