gather both
root and branch. The few Cabage Palms we found here were in General
small, and yielded so little Cabage that they were not worth the Looking
after, and this was the Case with most of the fruit, etc., we found in
the woods.

Besides the Animals which I have before mentioned, called by the Natives
Kangooroo, or Kanguru, here are Wolves,* (* Probably Dingos.) Possums, an
Animal like a ratt, and snakes, both of the Venemous and other sorts.
Tame Animals here are none except Dogs, and of these we never saw but
one, who frequently came about our Tents to pick up bones, etc. The
Kanguru are in the greatest number, for we seldom went into the Country
without seeing some. The land Fowls we met here, which far from being
numerous, were Crows, Kites, Hawkes, Cockadores* (* Cockatoos.) of 2
Sorts, the one white, and the other brown, very beautiful Loryquets of 2
or 3 Sorts, Pidgeons, Doves, and a few other sorts of small Birds. The
Sea or Water fowl are Herns, Whisling Ducks, which perch and, I believe,
roost on Trees; Curlews, etc., and not many of these neither. Some of our
Gentlemen who were in the Country heard and saw Wild Geese in the Night.

The Country, as far as I could see, is diversified with Hills and plains,
and these with woods and Lawns; the Soil of the Hills is hard, dry, and
very Stoney; yet it produceth a thin Coarse grass, and some wood. The
Soil of the Plains and Valleys are sandy, and in some places Clay, and in
many Parts very Rocky and Stoney, as well as the Hills, but in general
the Land is pretty well Cloathed with long grass, wood, Shrubs, etc. The
whole Country abounds with an immense number of Ant Hills, some of which
are 6 or 8 feet high, and more than twice that in Circuit. Here are but
few sorts of Trees besides the Gum tree, which is the most numerous, and
is the same that we found on the Southern Part of the Coast, only here
they do not grow near so large. On each side of the River, all the way up
it, are Mangroves, which Extend in some places a Mile from its banks; the
Country in general is not badly water'd, there being several fine
Rivulets at no very great distance from one another, but none near to the
place where we lay; at least not in the Dry season, which is at this
time. However we were very well supply'd with water by springs which were
not far off.* (* Cooktown, which now stands on the Endeavour River, is a
thriving place, and the northernmost town on this coast. It has some