145 
Wellesley's Islands.'] TERRA AUSTRALIS. 
The soil, even in the best parts, is far behind fertility ; but the 
small trees and bushes which grow there, and the grass in some of 
the less covered places, save the larger islands from the reproach of 
being absolutely sterile. The principal woods are eucalyptus and 
casuarina, of a size too small in general, to be fit for other purposes 
than the fire ; the pandanus grows almost every where, but most 
abundantly in the sandy parts ; and the botanists made out a long 
list of plants, several of which were quite new to them. 
We saw neither quadruped nor reptile upon the islands. Birds 
were rather numerous ; the most useful of them were ducks of seveial 
species, and bustards ; and one of these last, shot by Mr. Bauer, 
weighed between ten and twelve pounds, and made us an excellent 
dinner. The flesh of this bird is distributed in a manner directly 
contrary to that of the domestic turkey, the white meat being upon 
the legs, and the black upon the breast. In the woody parts of the 
islands were seen crows and white cockatoos ; as also cuckoo-phea- 
sants, pigeons, and small birds peculiar to this part of the country. 
On the shores were pelicans, gulls, sea-pies, ox-birds, and sand- 
larks ; but except the gulls, none of these tribes were numerous. 
The sea afforded a variety of fish ; and in such abundance, that it was 
rare not to give a meal to all the ship’s company from one or two 
hauls of the seine. Turtle abound amongst the islands ; but it seemed 
to be a fatality that we could neither peg any from the boat, nor yet 
catch them on shore. 
Indians were repeatedly seen upon both Bentinck’s and Sweers 
Islands ; but they always avoided us, and sometimes disappeared in 
a manner which seemed extraordinary. It is probable that they hid 
themselves in caves dug in the ground ; for we discovered in one 
instance a large hole, containing two apartments (so to call them), 
in each of which a man might lie down. Fire places under the 
shade of the trees, with dried grass spread around, were often met 
with ; and these I apprehend to be their fine-weather, and the caves 
their foul-weather residences. The fern or some similar root, appears 
U 
1802. 
November. 
VOL. II. 
