113 
Dampier speaks, and which doubtless also contributed to his de- 
ception, they occur both in the hippopotamus and the dugong, with 
this essential difference, that the former animal has them in the 
i lower jaw and the latter in the upper; but the silence of the Eng- 
lish navigator on this point excludes all means of distinction and 
even all possibility of comparison. 
Beyond this we ourselves saw no trace of the dugong in this 
locality; unless perhaps we might assign to this genus the mon- 
strous animal which caused so much terror to our companions in the 
Swan River. The terrible roar, similar to the bellowing of a bull, 
but much louder, and which appeared to come from the reeds, must 
have belonged to one of the largest species of animals which the 
Indian Ocean nourishes in its waves. Now, of all those which we 
know, the dugong alone presents dimensions comparable with the 
“terrible noise” which we are discussing. Such a presumption is 
confirmed by all the details which we have already given concerning 
the Swan River, or rather the long arm of the sea which is known 
by that name. 
Thus, thanks to the interest which simple sailors, who might 
well serve as an example to their officers, took in my labours, we 
find ourselves led to a solution as simple as it is precise on two 
problems important both in the zoologic and the physical history 
of New Holland.” 
[Owing to the untimely death of Peron, the work was com- 
pleted by L. Freyeinet.] 
The two ships left Sharks Bay on 23rd March and rounded the 
North-West Cape on the 27th. The sea in this neighbourhood was 
studded with reefs, “several of which appeared to us to be partially 
uncovered at low tide. It is to this last circumstance, doubtless, 
that we must attribute the extraordinary multiplicity of marine 
animals on this part of the coast of New Holland: innumerable 
legions of petrels, gulls, terns, noddies, cormorants, etc., sailed above 
us; thousands of fish of different kinds swarmed round our vessels, 
and long marine reptiles glided rapidly through the surface waters.” 
On the night of the 30th “several of our sailors occupied them- 
selves in line-fishing, which procured us a magnificent species of 
Amphinome. This beautiful marine worm, which glows with the 
richest reflections of gold, purple, and red, is sometimes no less than 
7 inches long: it perpetually took the bait of our fishermen, whose 
sport was spoiled by its voracity.” 
Two islands discovered on 2nd April were called Turtle Islets 
“on account of the great number of animals of this genus which we 
saw in their neighbourhood.” (Lat. 19 deg. 50 min. 13 see. S., Long. 
116 deg. 23 min. 48 sec. E. (P.). 
“All these banks and reefs, which made us despair of ascer- 
taining the geography of the coast, were on the other hand very 
