hopes of finding water there.  I sent them to sound, and bade them, if they found a channel of 8 or 10 fathom water to keep on, and we would follow with the ship.  We were now about 4 leagues within the outer small rocky islands, but still could see nothing but islands within us; some 5 or 6 leagues long, others not above a mile round.  The large islands were pretty high; but all appeared dry and mostly rocky and barren.  The rocks looked of a rusty yellow colour, and therefore I despaired of getting water on any of them; but was in some hopes of finding a channel to run in beyond all these islands, could I have spent time here, and either get to the main of New Holland, or find out some other islands that might afford us water and other refreshments; besides, that among so many islands we might have found some sort of rich mineral or ambergris, it being a good latitude for both these.  But we had not sailed above a league farther before our water grew shoaler again, and then we anchored in 6 fathom hard sand.

We were now on the inner side of the island, on whose outside is the bluff point.  We rode a league from the island and I presently went ashore, and carried shovels to dig for water, but found none.  There grow here 2 or three sorts of shrubs, one just like rosemary; and therefore I called this Rosemary Island.  It grew in great plenty here, but had no smell.  Some of the other shrubs had blue and yellow flowers; and we found 2 sorts of grain like beans:  the one grew on bushes; the other on a sort of creeping vine that runs along on the ground, having very thick broad leaves and the blossom like a bean blossom, but much larger, and of a deep red colour, looking very beautiful.  We saw here some cormorants, gulls, crab-catchers, etc., a few small land-birds, and a sort of white parrot, which flew a great many together.  We found some shellfish, namely limpets, periwinkles, and abundance of small oysters, growing on the rocks, which were very sweet.  In the sea we saw some green-turtle, a pretty many sharks, and abundance of water-snakes of several sorts and sizes.  The stones were all of rusty colour, and ponderous.

We saw a smoke on an island 3 or 4 leagues off; and here also the bushes had been burned, but we found no other sign of inhabitants:  it was probable that on the island where the smoke was there were inhabitants, and fresh water for them.  In the evening I went aboard, and consulted with my officers whether it was best to send thither, or to search among any other of these islands with my boat; or else go from hence, and coast alongshore with the ship till we could find some better place than this was to ride in, where we had shoal water and lay exposed to winds and tides.  They all agreed to go from hence; so I gave orders to weigh in the morning as soon as it should be light, and to get out with the land-breeze.