The appearance of the land seen lately is very fine: the coast being backed by ranges of high mountains presenting a very diversified outline; one of them, named upon the chart Cloudy Mount, attains an elevation of 4,477 feet.

Yesterday and today great numbers of a storm petrel (Thalassidroma leucogastra) have been following in our wake.
ANCHOR OFF DUFAURE ISLAND.
This afternoon, while off the eastern end of the bay called by Bougainville the Cul de sac de l'Orangerie, the Bramble was signalled to lead in towards the land off which we anchored at 9 P.M.in 30 fathoms.
From our anchorage we next morning saw on Dufaure Island, from which we were distant about three miles, a village in a grove of coconut trees behind a sandy beach, and the natives came off in considerable numbers bringing large quantities of coconuts and breadfruit;* they did not appear however to have any yams.

Two or three small pigs, of the same description as that hitherto seen (Sus papuensis) were procured.
(*Footnote.

This was of smaller size than it attains in the South Sea Islands; we cooked it in various ways but failed to make it palatable.) OBTAIN TWO OPOSSUMS.
And we obtained two fine live opossums, of a rare and singular kind (Cuscus maculatus) for an axe apiece.

They appeared to be quiet gentle animals, until much irritated, when they bite hard.