The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. II. Being the Second of the First VoyageCook, James
History
The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. II. Being the Second of the First Voyage
Cook, James
Cook, James, 1728-1779 -- Travel; Explorers -- Great Britain -- Biography; Voyages around the world -- History -- 18th century
it with paddles about four feet long: it contained just four people, so
that the people who visited us to-day went away at two turns. Their
lances were, like those that we had seen in Botany Bay, except that they
had but a single point, which in some of them was the sting of the ray,
and barbed with two or three sharp bones of the same fish: it was indeed
a most terrible weapon, and the instrument which they used in throwing
it, seemed to be formed with more art than any we had seen before. About
twelve o’clock next day, the yawl returned, with another turtle, and a
large sting-ray, and in the evening, was sent out again.
The next morning, two of the Indians came on board, but after a short
stay, went along the shore, and applied themselves with great diligence
to the striking of fish. Mr. Gore, who went out this day with his gun,
had the good fortune to kill one of the animals which had been so much
the subject of our speculation: an idea of it will best be conceived by
the cut, plate XX, without which, the most accurate verbal description
would answer very little purpose, as it has not similitude enough to any
animal already known, to admit of illustration by reference. In form, it
is most like the gerbua, which it also resembles in its motion, as has
been observed already, but it greatly differs in size, the gerbua not
being larger than a common rat, and this animal, when full grown, being
as big as a sheep: this individual was a young one, much under its full
growth, weighing only thirty-eight pounds. The head, neck, and
shoulders, are very small in proportion to the other parts of the body;
the tail is nearly as long as the body, thick near the rump, and
tapering towards the end: the fore-legs of this individual were only
eight inches long, and the hind-legs two and twenty: its progress is by
successive leaps or hops, of a great length, in an erect posture; the
fore-legs are kept bent close to the breast, and seemed to be of use
only for digging: the skin is covered with a short fur, of a dark mouse
or grey colour, excepting the head and ears, which bear a slight
resemblance to those of a hare. This animal is called by the natives
_Kanguroo_.
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