Captain William Bligh put into Adventure Bay with his Majesty's ship
_Bounty_ in 1788, and with the _Providence_ and _Assistant_ in 1792; for
the purpose of obtaining wood and water. These were procured with
facility, as also plenty of fish; and many useful seeds and trees were
planted.

No discoveries being made here, beyond those of Furneaux and Cook, the
reader is referred to captain Bligh's _Voyage to the South Seas_, P. 45
to 54, for his observations on the country and inhabitants. There is,
however, one remarkable circumstance recorded of these people, which is,
that when presents wrapped up in paper were thrown to them, "they took
the articles out, and placed them on their heads;" a ceremony which is
similar to that recorded by _Witsen_, of the inhabitants on the east side
of the Gulph of Carpentaria.

COX. 1789.

The brig Mercury, commanded by JOHN HENRY COX, Esq., anchored at the
entrance of a deep bay on the south side of Van Diemen's Land, on July 3,
1789. This bay was then first discovered, and lies N. by W. ten miles
from the _Mewstone_.* The country was found to be agreeably interspersed
with hills and vallies, and some of the hills were luxuriantly clothed
with trees to their very summits. About four miles from the vessel, there
was a stream of fresh water; and close to it stood a hut, or rather
hovel, neatly constructed of branches of trees and dried leaves. "Around
it were scattered a great quantity of pearl, escalop, oyster, and other
shells, which had been lately roasted." The faeces of some large animal
were met with in every direction; but neither the animal itself nor any
of the natives could be found.