COASTS OF AUSTRALIA. 
105 
as to be distinctly seen at the distance of forty i 82 i. 
miles, whereas two days afterwards, the weather Aug. 20. 
being clear, it was not visible above the horizon 
for more than five leagues. This state of the at- 
mosphere caused a rapid evaporation during the 
day, and as the evening approached, a very co- 
pious dew commenced falling, which by sunset 
was precipitated like a shower of rain. 
The next morning the land was again enve- 
loped in haze, but at seven o’clock it cleared off 
a little, and the coast was observed to trend 
round Point Gantheaume to the south-east, but 
as we had last evening seen it as far to the 
westward as S.W.b.S., we steered in the latter 
direction under the idea of there being no open- 
ing to the southward of the point, since the 
flood- tide flowed from it, instead of towards it, 
as it naturally would have done, had there been 
any inlet of consequence thereabout. 
As usual, we had been surrounded by whales, 
and large flights of boobies ; one of the latter 
lighted upon the deck this afternoon, and was 
easily taken; it seemed to be the same bird 
(pelecanus fiber) that frequents the reefs upon the 
north and north eastern coasts. Between sun- 
rise and mid-day our progress was much re- 
tarded by light south easterly winds. At noon 
we were in 17° 5V 45" S. : after which the sea- 
