8 
SURVEY OF THE INTERTROMCAL 
1821 . were thought to be useless; but, from subse- 
JuneiE quent experience, they proved to be far from 
deserving such contempt, for during the voyage 
we made two pole-top gallant-masts of it; which, 
although very full of knots, were as tough as 
any spar I ever saw; and carried a press of 
sail longer than would be trusted on many 
masts. These trees are very abundant on the 
Cumberland and Northumberland Islands, but 
do not attain any large size ; being seldom higher 
than fifty or sixty feet, or of a greater diameter 
than from twelve to eighteen inches. 
Among a variety of birds, several black cock- 
atoos and the pheasant cuckoo were seen. The 
beaches were frequented by gulls, terns, and 
oyster-catchers ; and an egret was noticed of a 
slate-coloured plumage, with a small ruff upon 
its head. 
The seine was hauled upon the beach ; but the 
only fish caught were two very large sting-rays ; 
one of which measured twelve feet across : as it 
was too unwieldy to take on board, we had no 
means of weighing it ; but the liver nearly filled 
a small pork barrel^. It is very probable that 
* Captain Cook describes some fish, probably of the same species, 
found at Botany Bay, weighing each three hundred and thirty-six 
pounds (Hawkesworth, vol. 3, p. 100) ; from which circumstance, 
as is not generally known, the name of Sting-ray Bay was given 
