om doing so, forthwith prepared to
throw their weapons; but when our men fired a shot, they all fled except
a youth, whom our people carried on board along with the canoe aforesaid,
this man being the younger of the two natives brought hither. Our men had
also come upon a large pond containing fresh water, which, however, was
difficult to get to the ship. On the whole the country looked promising
enough, and when cultivated would probably prove very fertile. The
natives mainly subsist on the roots of trees and wild fruits such as
batatas or oubis, together with small quantities of fish which they catch
in their canoes. They also seemed to have some knowledge of gold, when
lumps of the same were shown them. Round by the south the natives are
somewhat more tractable than those farther to northward. Between the 11th
and 12th degrees the trend of the coast is S.W. by S. and N.E. by N.,
next S.S.W. and N.N.E. down to the 13th degree; then running on due south
as far as the eye reaches. The coast is mainly level without any reefs,
and may be approached sounding.

On the 16th of June...they resolved to depart from there, since the
season was passing, and they could only with great difficulty make any
headway or run higher, while, besides, they had only two anchors and
cables left. They then shaped their course to westward for Aarnems land.
At noon they took the latitude of 13 deg. 3' South course held as before.

On the 17th of June in the forenoon the wind was E. by S. and E.S.E. with
a moderate and fresh top-gallant gale, stiffening to a reefed topsail
gale. At noon their estimated course and distance performed in the last
24 hours were W. by N. 251/2 miles; estimated Latitude 12 deg. 44' South;
Latitude taken 12 deg. 36' South; course held as before; no land in sight.

From the 18th to the 23rd their course was mainly westerly, with variable
winds and good weather.

On the 24th of June the wind was S.E. by S., E.S.E. and S.E. by E. in the
morning and forenoon, with a stiff reefed topsail-gale. Shortly after
noon they sighted the mainland of Nova Hollandia, S.S.W. of them, showing
as a very low-lying coast; they passed over depths of 15, 14, 13, 12, 11,
10, 9, and 81/2 fathom, good anchoring ground and muddy sand, keeping a
N.W. by W. course, since the shallows prevented them from running nearer
to the land than where they could just sight it from the ship's deck;
they next got into 9, 10 and 11 fathom again as before, and