64 COOK’s VOYAGE, 
ing, longitude 206 : 39 W. Some lands near the Ihofe, of a 
confiderab'le height, bore W. 
As we advanced to the northward, from Botany Bay, the 
land gradually increafed in height, fo that in this latitude it 
may be called a hilly country. Between this latitude and the 
Bay, it exhibits a pleafmg variety of ridges, hills, vallies, and 
plains, all clothed with wood, of the lame appearance with 
that which has been particularly defcribed : the land near the 
Ihore is in general low and fandy, except the points, which 
are rocky, and over many of them are high hills, which, at 
their firft rifing out of the water, have the appearance of 
illands. In the afternoon, we had fome fmall rocky illands 
between us and the land, the fouthermoft of which lies in la- 
titude 30 : 10, and the northermoft in 29 : 58, and fomewhat 
more than two leagues from the land : about two miles with- 
out the northermoft ifland we had thirty-three fathom water, 
having the advantage of a moon, we fteered along the Ihore 
all night, in the direction of N. and N. by E. keeping at the 
diftance of about three leagues from the land, and having from 
twenty to twenty-five fathom water. As loon as it was light, 
having a frelh gale, we made all the fail we could, and at nine 
o’clock in the morning, being about a league from the Ihore, 
we difcovered fmoke in many places, and having recourfe to 
our glafles, we faw about twenty of the natives, who had 
each a large bundle upon his back, which we conjeftured to 
be palm leaves far covering their houfes : we continued to ob- 
lerve them above an hour, during which they walked upon 
the beach, and up a path that led over a hill of a gentle afcent, 
behind which we loft fight of them : not one of them was ob- 
ferved to ftop and look towards us, but they trudged along, 
to all appearance, without the leaft emotion either of curiofity 
or furprize, though it is impofiible they lhould not have fee n 
the Ihip by a cafual glance, as they walked along the Ihore ; 
and though they mull, vvith refpeil to every other objedl they 
had yet ieen, have been little lefs ftupenduous, and unac- 
countable, than a floating mountain, with all its woods, 
would have been to us. At noon, our latitude, by obfervation, 
was 28 : 39 S., and longitude 206 : 27 W. A high point of 
land, which I named Cape Byron, bore N. W. by W. at 
the diftance of three miles. It lies in latitude 28 : 37^: 30 S., 
longitude 206 : 30 W. and may be known by a remarkable 
fharp peaked mountain, which lies inland, and bears from it 
N. W. by W. From this point, the land trends N. 13 W. : 
inland it is high and hilly, but low near the Ihore ; to the 
fouthward of the point it is alfo low and level. We conti- 
nued to fteer along the Ihore with a frelh gale, till fun-fet, 
when we fuddenly difcovered breakers a-head, dire&Jy in the 
fhip’s courfe, and alfo on our larboard bow. At this time we 
• S/” were 
