Another doubtfull point I should have liked to have clear'd up, altho' it is of very little, if of any Consequence, which is, whether the Natives of New Holland and those of New Guinea are, or were, Original, one People, which one might well suppose, as these 2 Countrys lay so near to each other, and the intermediate space fill'd up with Islands.

On the other hand, if these 2 people have or ever had any friendly communication with Each other it seems strange, as I have before observed, that they should not have transplanted from New Guinea over to New Holland Cocoa Nutts, Bread fruit, Plantains, etc., etc., all very useful Articles for the support of Man, that We never saw grow in the latter, and which we have now seen in the former.

La Maire hath given us a Vocabulary of Words spoken by the People of New Britain (which before Dampier's time was taken to be a part of New Guinea), by which it appears that the people of New Britain speak a very different Language from those of New Holland.

Now should it be found that the Natives of New Britain and those of New Guinea have had One Origin, and speak the same Language, it will follow, of Course, that the New Hollanders are a different People from both.* (* In the north of Australia the natives are distinctly allied to the Papuans, but on the east of the continent they are of a type of their own, and speak many different languages.) [Off South-west Coast of New Guinea.] Tuesday, 4th.

Stood to the Westward all this day, having at first a moderate breeze Southerly, which afterwards freshned and Veered to South-East and East-South-East.