Series 03: Joseph Banks - Endeavour journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 (vol. 2) - No. 0243
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[Page 243]
239.
April 1770. New South Wales
21. in the morn the land appeard much as it did yesterday but rather more hilly in the even again it became flatter several smoaks were seen from whence we concluded it to be rather more populous at night five fires
22. The Countrey hilly but rising in gentle slopes & well wooded a hill was in sight which much resembled those dove houses which are built four square with a small dome at the top in the morn we stood in with the land near enough to discern 5 people who appeard through our glasses to be enormously black so far did the prejudices which we had built on Dampiers account influence us that we fancied we could see their Colour when we could scarce distinguish whether or not they were men - Since we have been on the coast we have not observd those large fires which we so frequently saw in the Islands & New Zealand made by the Natives in order to clear the ground for cultivation we thence concluded not much in favour of our future freinds - It has long been an observation among us that the air in this Southern hemisphere was much clearer than in our northern these some days at least it has appeard remarkably so a headland