off the south coast, he arrived, on the evening of the 4th, in _Frederik
Hendrik's Bay_; and anchored in 22 fathoms, sandy bottom. The great sandy
cove of the outer bay bore from thence, S. 25° W. one league and a half;
the extreme of Maria's Island, N. E. by N.; and the northernmost part of
the main land, N. 5° W. six leagues: (these bearings appear to be as
taken by the compass). The latitude observed here, was 42° 50' south, and
longitude 145° 20 east of Greenwich; the first being 10', and the
longitude above 5° _less_, than given by Tasman.*

[* According to captain Cook, the longitude should be 148° 10'.]

The fires and smokes, seen by day and night, bespoke the country to be
well inhabited; and, on anchoring, there were about thirty men assembled
upon the shore. On the boats being sent next morning, the natives went to
them without distrust; and, having piled together some pieces of wood,
presented a lighted stick to the new comers, and seemed to ask them to
set fire to the pile. Not knowing what this ceremony meant, they
complied; and the act seemed neither to excite surprise, nor to cause any
alteration in the conduct of the natives: they continued to remain about
the French party, with their wives and children, as before.

These people were of the common stature, of a black colour, and were all
naked, both men and women; and some of the latter had children fastened
to their backs, with ropes made of rushes. All the men were armed with
pointed sticks (spears), and with stones which appeared to have been
sharpened in the manner of axe heads. They had, in general, small eyes,
and the white duller than in Europeans; the mouth very wide, the teeth
white, and flat noses. Their hair, which resembled the wool of the
Caffres, was separated into shreds, and powdered with red ochre. They
were generally slender, tolerably well made, kept their shoulders back,