thoms and a half, with a muddy bottom. As it was probable that, in caſe the wind ſhould become favourable, we might proceed on our courſe before night; none of us went on ſhore.
On the 27th, about eight o'clock in the morning, we weighed anchor. The current ſoon ſet againſt us, and obliged us to caſt anchor at the depth of twelve fathoms and a half, in a bottom of ſand mixed with mud. We were then in 43° 4′ S. lat. 145° 17′ E. long.
At the diſtance of two thouſand five hundred toiſes to north-eaſt, the fartheſt end of the ſtrait through which we were to paſs, was viſible.
A fire at a ſmall diſtance from the ſhore appriſed us of the natives being near. We ſoon after obſerved one of them walking along the ſhore.
Two boats were ſent out to tranſport ſome of our men to both ſhores of the ſtraits. They diſcovered a number of the ſavages landing from a raft on the eaſt ſhore. As timid as thoſe we had ſeen before, they had haſtened with all poſſible ſpeed to the land, where they made their eſcape into the woods, leaving behind them ſeveral darts of a very clumſy conſtruction.
I went on ſhore at the place where the ſavages had diſappeared, and found ſeveral pieces of very beautiful hard granite, rounded by the water.
We found four rafts, made of the bark of trees,
on
