se belonging to the ships, who escaped the
massacre, swam to the rowing boats, and were carried on board the
ships: many of them had received violent contusions on the head,
as all the blows were aimed at that part.

De la Peyrouse thought proper to quit the island immediately,
after endeavouring to regain his long-boats, which he found the
natives had destroyed: he describes the inhabitants of these
islands as a very strong and handsome race of men; scarcely one
was to be seen amongst them less than six feet high, and well
proportioned; the women are delicately beautiful; their canoes,
houses, etc. are well constructed, and they are much more
advanced in internal policy and order than any of the islands in
the Pacific Ocean. These, islands are surrounded by a coral reef,
but boats may land with great safety.

After dinner I attended M. Peyrouse and his officers on shore,
where I found him quite established; he had thrown round his
tents a stockade, which was guarded by two small guns, and in
which they were setting up two long boats, which he had in frame.
After these boats were built, it was the intention of M. Peyrouse
to go round New Ireland, and through the Moluccas, and to pass to
the Island of France, by the streights of Sunda. An observatory
tent was also fixed on shore, in which were an astronomical
clock, a quadrant, and other instruments under the care of
Monsieur D'Agelet, Astronomer, and a member of the Academy of
Sciences at Paris: he, as well as Monsieur De la Peyrouse,
informed me, that at every place they had touched at, and been
near, they had found all the nautical and astronomical remarks of
Captain Cook to be very exact and true; and he concluded with
saying, "Enfin Monsieur Cook a tant fait, qu'il ne m'a rien
laisse a faire, que d'admirer ses oeuvres."

In the evening I returned on board the Boussole, and was shown
all the drawings they had made during their voyage; and at five
o'clock the next morning I set out on my return to Port Jackson,
but did not arrive on board the Sirius before seven in the
evening, having been obliged to row all the way against the wind
and a great swell.

On the 4th, I went by land to Botany-Bay, accompanied by
Lieutenant Ball, and some other officers: we found the country
between that place and Port Jackson to consist chiefly of deep
bays and sand hills, interspersed with a vast number of rocks: we
did not return until the evening of the 5th.

About this time t