COASTS OF AUSTRALIA. 
291 
shore of the bay on which we had lately landed. 1819. 
From this station we had an opportunity of ob- Sept. 17. 
serving the features of the coast: Lacrosse Island 
is situated in the entrance of a deep opening, 
trending to the S.S.W., towards some steep 
rugged hills. The character of the country is here 
entirely changed: irregular ranges of detached 
rocky hills, of sand-stone formation, very slightly 
clothed with small shrubs, and rising abruptly 
from extensive plains of low level land, seem to 
have superseded the low wooded coast that al- 
most uninterruptedly prevails between this and 
Cape Wessel; a distance of more than six hun- 
dred miles. The present change, although more 
dreary and less inviting, was hailed by us with 
pleasure ; for the broken appearance of the hills 
inspired us with the hope of finding some fresh 
stream from which we might complete our water, 
and thereby prevent our premeditated visit to 
Timor, whither it would soon be time to resort. 
The fires which had been lighted in the course 
of the day by the natives, had rapidly spread 
over the summit of the hills, and at night, the 
whole island was illuminated, and presented a 
most grand and imposing appearance. After 
dusk, Mr. Roe went with a party on shore in 
order to take turtle, and at eight o’clock returned 
with one of the hawk's-bill species, (testudo 
