was immediately made, and every one contented with his portion.
We were much ſurpriſed to find amongſt the fiſh caught with the line in the courſe of the night, ſome ſharks about a fathom in length. They were of the ſpecies ſqualus cinereus. This kind of ſhark never riſes from the bottom of the water. We never ſaw it approach the ſurface during the whole time of our ſtay at the Cape of Van Diemen. It does not appear to be dangerous to man; for our ſailors, though they bathed here very frequently, never met with any accident. It finds ſufficient food on theſe coaſts to ſatisfy its voracity without attacking men: otherwiſe the natives of the country, who frequently dive to a great depth into the ſea in queſt of ſhell-fiſh, would be in perpetual danger of being devoured by theſe animals.
Some mountains, which appeared to be above 500 toiſes in perpendicular height, were viſible towards the north at a diſtance of about 15,000 toiſes. Their ſummits were covered with tall trees, whoſe verdure gave additional beauty to the magnificent proſpect which they exhibited.
An officer belonging to our veſſel, who had been ſent to take the ſoundings at the farther end of the harbour, went on ſhore, where he found ſeveral huts, and near them the remains of
