Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 1 (Stockdale).djvu/226

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206
VOYAGE IN SEARCH
[1792.

as theſe were the only human bones that were ſeen during the whole of our abode in this place.

On the 13th I went to the place where our men were taking in their water. It was furniſhed by a ſmall rivulet, which diſcharges itſelf into the harbour, after flowing amongſt the trunks of fallen trees with which the country is covered. The rotten wood gives the water of this rivulet a browniſh tinge. They were obliged to roll the caſks upwards of a hundred yards to the boats, as theſe could not come nearer to the ſhore on account of the ſhallowneſs of the bottom.

We found the carpenters employed in raiſing the ſides of our pinnace, which had ſhortly before been overſet whilſt it was ſailing in the harbour. The crew had been obliged to ſave themſelves by ſwimming till aſſiſtance was brought them. It had been furniſhed with too high a maſt, and much too large a ſail, by the lieutenant, who ought to have underſtood the proportions better.

The wood made uſe of by the carpenters was that of the new ſpecies of the eucalyptus, which I have denominated eucalyptus globulus. They thought it very good timber for ſhip-building.

A perpetual moiſture prevailed in the thick foreſts into which I penetrated towards S.W. Moſſes and ferns of various kinds grew there with great luxuriance. I killed a bird of that ſpecies

of