Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 1 (Stockdale).djvu/181

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April.]
OF LA PEROUSE.
171

of reddiſh, and ſometimes greyiſh ſand. In ſome places it conſiſted of an argillaceous kind of earth, which imbibing the water with great facility, forms itſelf into bogs; in others this earth has been waſhed away by the water filtrating through the ground, ſo as to form pools, and ſometimes deep holes, the ſurface of which being covered with plants, one does not eaſily apprehend any danger in approaching them, but by the inadvertency of a ſingle moment may fall into them unawares. An accident of this kind happened to the ſurgeon of the Eſperance, who, whilſt he was a-hunting, ſet his foot upon what he took to be firm ground, and fell into a very deep bog. He immediately diſappeared; but fortunately he was able to ſwim.

We found ſome rudiments of huts in theſe woods, conſiſting of a frame-work made of the branches of young trees, and deſigned to be afterwards filled up with pieces of the bark, which the natives always uſe to cover the outſide of their cabins.

I gathered ſeveral ſpecies of the eucalyptus, during this excurſion; amongſt others, that which White has denominated eucalyptus reſinifera. This is a very tall tree, the ſpungy bark of which is often three inches in thickneſs, and ſeparates very eaſily from the trunk. It produces a gum reſin,

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