but fresh water was every where abundant for domestic purposes; and the
climate was judged to be as healthy as the temperature was found to be
agreeable. Kangaroos did not appear to be scarce; nor were the woods ill
tenanted by the feathered tribes; and reptiles and other noxious animals
were not numerous. Amongst the aquatic birds, black swans and wild ducks
held a distinguished place; but, like the land animals, were very shy:
sea and shell fish were in tolerable abundance.

None of the inhabitants were seen; but from the appearance of their
deserted huts, they were judged to be the same miserable race as those of
the North-west and East Coasts. No marks of canoes, nor the remains of
fish, even shell fish, were found near their habitations; and this
circumstance, with the shyness of the birds and quadrupeds, induced a
belief that the natives depended principally upon the woods for their
subsistence.

Captain Vancouver quitted King George's Sound on Oct. 11, and proceeded
eastward in the examination of the coast; but unfavourable winds
prevented him from doing this so completely as he wished, and some parts
were passed unseen; and the impediments to his progress at length caused
the examination to be quitted, in favour of prosecuting the main design
of his voyage. The last land seen was _Termination Island_, in latitude
34° 32' and longitude 122° 8'. The coast to the north of this island
appeared much broken; but, although in Nuyts' chart a considerable group
of islands were laid down in about that situation, captain Vancouver
rather supposed it to be a continued main land.*

[* For captain Vancouver's account of his proceedings and observations on
the South Coast, see his _Voyage round the World_, Vol. I. page 28-57.]