ed on a shoal, on saturday the 25th. Having cleared the shoals, and proceeded for some time in a westerly direction, the Commander stood to the N.W. to fall in with New Guinea, and came in sight of it on the 29th. They sailed along the coast some days, without seeing any convenient place for approaching the shore. At last, on monday, September 3rd, the Commander, with Mr. Banks, Dr. Solander, and nine others, set out in the pinnace to effect a landing; but the water was so shallow, that they had to wade about 200 yards to reach the shore, leaving two men in charge of the boat. The land was found richly clothed with trees, among which they saw the cocoa nut, the plantain, and the breadfruit: As they advarced along the shore, three Indians rushed out of the woods with a hideous shout; and while one of them threw something from his hand that blazed like gunpowder, the other two threw their lances at the party, who fired some small shot in return. A third lance being thrown, it was judged proper to fire with ball, which made them instantly retreat; and as they ran with great agility, none of them appeared to be seriously wounded. Reluctant to endanger the lives of the savages any further, the Commander and his party returned to the boat, from whence they had a view of from 60 to 100 natives, who had come down to the beach. They appeared to be of the same race as the New Hollanders, and like them were stark naked. Some muskets were fired over their heads, and hearing the bullets rustling among the trees, they walked away; and the party returned on board. The Commander was strongly urged by some of the officers, to send a force on shore, to cut down the
