Towards cloſe of evening we found ourſelves on the borders of the leſſer lake. The woods that ſurrounded it did not permit us to follow it dry-ſhod in all its windings: the water through which we had to wade was, fortunately, not very deep. Notwithſtanding the darkneſs of the night, I diſcovered a new ſpecies of reſtio, which I had never ſeen before.
This lake, though it is connected with the ſea at high water, does not abound with fiſh. Some of the crew of the Eſperance had been here, with their nets, but caught nothing.
Having reached the ſea-ſhore, we had ſtill a conſiderable part of our march before us. It was night, and the thick clouds increaſed its obſcurity. Sometimes we were obliged to paſs over large blocks of rounded ſtones waſhed by the ſurge. We groped our way along the ſhore, at the hazard of falling into the ſea, and it was with great difficulty that we were able to ſupport ourſelves on our feet amongſt the wet ſtones, that were rendered ſtill more ſlippery by being covered with fucus and other marine productions.
A great number of phoſphoric animalcules, of different ſizes, were driven on ſhore by the waves, and afforded us the only light we had to direct our ſteps.
At length we arrived at the place where the
