180 
SURVEY OF THE INTERTROPICAL 
1^. SO dried as to be covered with crystals of salt; 
Jan. 20 . and in this state it continued during our stay. 
Upon rounding the cape, two posts were des- 
cried upon its summit, which we conjectured to 
be those on which the French had affixed a 
record of their visit, as well as the more ancient 
one of the Dutch navigators, Dirk Hartog and 
Vlaming; for they were very conspicuously 
placed, and appeared to be in good preserva- 
tion. 
We had not anchored five minutes before the 
vessel was surrounded by sharks, which at once 
impressed us with the propriety of Dampier’s 
nomenclature. One that was caught measured 
eleven feet in length, but the greater num- 
ber were not more than three or four feet 
long. They were very voracious, and scared 
away large quantities of fish, of which, however, 
our people during the evening caught a good 
supply. 
21. The following morning we landed at the Cape, 
and with eager steps ascended the rocky face 
of the hill, to examine the interesting memorials 
that were affixed to the post ; but found to our 
great mortification, that they had been removed ; 
the only vestige that remained was the nails by 
which they had been secured. One of the posts 
was about two feet high, and evidently made of 
