rous, the commander
stationed himself at the masthead with a glass. All the bearings were
laid down as soon as taken, whilst the land was in sight; and before
retiring to rest at night Flinders made it a practice to finish up his
rough chart for the day, together with his journal of observations. The
ship hauled off the coast at dusk, but especial care was taken to come
upon it at the same point next morning, as soon after daylight as
practicable, so that work might be resumed precisely where it had been
dropped on the previous day. "This plan," said Flinders, "to see and lay
down everything myself, required constant attention and much labour, but
was absolutely necessary to obtaining that accuracy of which I was
desirous." When bays or groups of islands were reached, Flinders went
ashore with the theodolite, took his angles, measured, mapped, and made
topographical notes. The lead was kept busy, making soundings. The rise
and fall of the tides were observed; memoranda on natural phenomena were
written; opportunities were given for the naturalists to collect
specimens, and for the artist to make drawings. The net was frequently
drawn in the bays for examples of marine life. Everybody when ashore kept
a look out for plants, birds, beasts, and insects. In short, a keenness
for investigation, an assiduity in observation, animated the whole ship's
company, stimulated by the example of the commander, who never spared
himself in his work, and interested himself in that of others.

As in a drama, "comic relief" was occasionally interposed amid more
serious happenings. The blacks were friendly, though occasionally shy and
suspicious. In one scene the mimicry that is a characteristic of the
aboriginal was quaintly displayed. The incident, full of colour and
humour, is thus related by Flinders:

"Our friends, the natives, continued to visit us; and an old man with
several others being at the tents this morning, I ordered the party of
marines on shore, to be exercised in their presence. The red coats and
white crossed belts were greatly admired, having some resemblance to
their own manner of ornamenting themselves; and the drum, but
particularly the fife, excited their astonishment; but when they saw
these beautiful red and white men, with their bright muskets, drawn up in
a line, they absolutely screamed with delight; nor were their wild
gestures and vociferation to be silenced but by commencing the exercise,
to which they paid