Page:Narrative of a survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia, Volume 1.djvu/480

This page needs to be proofread.

'418 SURVEY O1? THE IRTERTROPICAL lmx prom:hat it, we found our fears had been ground- ? sl. less, and that they were occasioned by no less innOCent an enemy than a half-censumed log of wood, in the heart of which a fire had bern lying dormant for some days, having been lighted by the fires which had lately passed over the country; it had been fanned into a /lame by the land.breezs which sprung up at mi&nlght. The light seen in the early part of the night originated, most likely, from a slmi!M' catme; so that we returned to th? vessel without further apprehension. ? The following day all our wet and dry pr? visions, our wood and guns were landed; and the greater number of the crew slept on shore. A discovery of great importax? was this day made, which enabled us to carry on our opem. fions with much greater facility and comfort; this was our fi!lding near the tents some deep holes, containing a great abundance of excellent water; so that by emptying our water.imsks, we avoided the trouble and delay of hoisting them out: our operatJoRs were, hi consequence, so much expe- dited, that the next morning, at high tide, the vessel was warped and secured as far up the beach as the water w?uld allow, preparatory to her taking the ground, which event we awe/ted with eimsiderable anxiety.