ten leagues. The hills in both ridges consisted chiefly of barren rocks; the country bearing a great resemblance, in several respects, to some parts of New South Wales, under the same parallel of latitude. Some of the plantations of the natives were passed in returning; and these seemed to be laid out, and managed, with considerable judgment. Bread-fruit is scarce with them, and the cocoa-nuts are small. Their houses are mostly circular, and several of them rather neat, with side walls about 412 feet high, and a lofty peaked roof, surmounted by a tall ornamented post. The door posts are occasionally carved. They make a kind of tables within, with posts and cross spars; but having no vents, their houses are always smoky.
In the evening, the Captain, officers, and scientific gentlemen, were again in danger of being poisoned by eating a new kind of fish. The Captain's clerk purchased a fish that was struck by a native in the afternoon; resembling a sunfish, with a long, ugly head. It was ordered for supper; but providentially so much time was occupied in making a drawing and description of it, that it was too late; so that only the liver and roe were drest, of which none but the Captain and Messrs. Forster tasted. About three o'clock next morning, they were seized with an extraordinary weakness and numbness all over their limbs, and lost the sense of feeling to such a degree, that a feather, and a quart pot full of water, held in the hand, seemed to be of the same weight. By the help of an emetic, and a sweat, they were soon relieved; but it was three days before they were quite well. A pig, that had eaten the entrails, was found dead in the morning. When the na-
