184 
SURVEY OF THE INTERTROPICAL 
1822 . red hair, it was, however, too far gone to ascer- 
Jan. 24 , tain to what animal it belonged. 
On examining into the state of our dry ])ro- 
visions, it was mortifying to find that the rats 
and cockroaches had destroyed an incredible 
quantity, particularly of our biscuit and flour. 
In one of the casks of the latter, more than 
two thirds of its contents was deficient. The 
biscuit was completely drilled through, and the 
greater part would not have been thought fit to 
eat if we had possessed any of a better quality ; 
I still, however, hoped to have a sufficiency on 
board to complete the survey of the north-west 
coast, before our return to Port Jackson, which I 
now found would, of necessity, be at least four 
or five weeks before the time I had fixed upon 
when we left the Mauritius. As it would take 
up a great portion of the time we had now 
left to make a more extensive examination of 
Shark’s Bay than what the French have already 
performed, and would entirely prevent my going 
upon the north-west coast again ; it was deter- 
mined that we should not delay here, but pass 
on, and resume our examination of the coast at 
Cape Cuvier, the northern head of the bay. The 
only part of Shark’s Bay that seems to be at all 
interesting, and to require further examination, 
is the eastern side of the bay, immediately op- 
