bigger
than an Oven, made of Peices of Sticks, Bark, Grass, etc., and even these
are seldom used but in the Wet seasons, for in the daytimes we know they
as often sleep in the Open Air as anywhere else. We have seen many of
their Sleeping places, where there has been only some branches or peices
of Bark, grass, etc., about a foot high on the Windward side.

[Australian Canoes.]

Their Canoes are as mean as can be conceived, especially to the
Southward, where all we saw were made of one peice of the Bark of Trees
about 12 or 14 feet long, drawn or Tied together at one end. As I have
before made mention, these Canoes will not Carry above 2 people, in
general there is never more than one in them; but, bad as they are, they
do very well for the purpose they apply them to, better than if they were
larger, for as they draw but little water they go in them upon the Mud
banks, and pick up Shell fish, etc., without going out of the Canoe. The
few Canoes we saw to the Northward were made out of a Log of wood
hollow'd out, about 14 feet long and very narrow, with outriggers; these
will carry 4 people. During our whole stay in Endeavour River we saw but
one Canoe, and had great reason to think that the few people that resided
about that place had no more; this one served them to cross the River and
to go a Fishing in, etc. They attend the Shoals, and flatts, one where or
another, every day at low water to gather Shell fish, or whatever they
can find to eat, and have each a little bag to put what they get in; this
bag is made of net work. They have not the least knowledge of Iron or any
other Metal that we know of; their working Tools must be made of Stone,
bone, and Shells; those made of the former are very bad, if I may judge
from one of their Adzes I have seen.

Bad and mean as their Canoes are, they at Certain seasons of the Year (so
far as we know) go in them to the most distant Islands which lay upon the
Coast, for we never landed upon one but what we saw signs of People
having been there before. We were surprized to find Houses, etc., upon
Lizard Island, which lies 5 Leagues from the nearest part of the Main; a
distance we before thought they could not have gone in their Canoes.

The Coast of this Country, at least so much of it as lays to the
Northward of 25 degrees of Latitude, abounds with a great Number of fine
bays and Harbours, which are Shelter'd from all winds; but the Country
itself, so far as we know, doth not p