COASTS OF AUSTRALIA. 
373 
roots of which would have furnished an excellent 1820. 
substitute for vegetables for us, had the plants Aug-. 2. 
been found in abundance, and convenient for 
gathering. 
During our stay at this harbour, our gentlemen 
visited every part of the country within five or six 
miles from the tents. The soil, although covered 
with grass, was generally remarked to be shallow 
and of inferior quality ; as was sufficiently indi- 
cated by the small size of the trees. The distance 
to which we had penetrated was by no means 
sufficient to give a fair idea of the nature of the 
country in the interior; which, from its hilly 
appearance, might be expected to possess both 
a rich soil and a better pasturage than the parts 
we had seen; but for the latter, the neighbour- 
hood of the entrance of Endeavour River was 
by no means insignificant. 
The small number of our crew prevented my 
sending away a party to examine the interior 
with any certainty of protection, either to the 
travellers, or to those left in charge of the vessel; 
and this circumstance, on several occasions, pre- 
cluded us from forming any correct idea of the 
productions of the places w T e visited, which we 
probably might have been partially enabled to 
do by a walk of two or three miles from the sea. 
Some kangaroos were seen by us, during our 
visit ; and Mr. Hunter shot a few birds : among 
