180
>77°- us to pitch our tents in fuch a fituation, our firft meafure
t _ - . fhould be to clear the ground round us.
'Ihurfday 19.
In the afternoon we got every thing on board the fliip,
hew birthed her, and let her fwing with the tide ; and at
night the Mailer returned, with the difcouraging account
that there was no pafiage for the fhip to the northward.
Friday 20. The next morning, at low water, I went and founded and
buoyed the bar, the Ihip being now ready for the fea. We
faw no Indians this day, but all the hills round us for many
miles were on fire, which at night made a molt linking and
beautiful appearance.
Saturday at. The 2 ill palled without our getting fight o f any of the inhabitants,
and indeed without a Angle incident worth no-
Sunday 2a. tice. On the 22d, we killed a turtle for the day’s provifion,
upon opening which we found a wooden harpoon or turtle-
peg, about as thick as a man’s finger, near fifteen inches
long, and bearded at the end, fuch as we had feen among
the natives, flicking through both fhoulders : it appeared to
have been llruck a confiderable time, for the wound had
perfectly healed up over the weapon.
Monday 23. Early in the morning of the 23d, I fent fome people into
the country to gather a fupply of the greens which have
been before mentioned by the name of Indian Kale; and one
of them having ftraggled from the-reft, fuddenly fell in with
four Indians, three men and a boy, whom he did not fee
till, by turning fhort in the wood, he found himfelf among
them. They had kindled a fire, and were broiling a bird of
fome kind, and part of a Kanguroo, the remainder of which,
and a cockatoo, hung at a little diftance upon a tree: the
man, being unarmed, was at firft greatly terrified f. but he
had the prefence of mind not to run away, judging very
rightly,
4
rightly, that he was moll likely to incur danger by appear- 1770-
in g to apprehend i t ; on the contrary, he went and fat down j----
by them, and, with an air of chearfulnefs and good humour, Moilday: *3(1
offered them his knife, the only thing he had about him
which he thought would be acceptable to them; they received
it, and having handed it from one to the other, they
gave it him again: he then made an offer to leave them
but this they feemed not difpofed to permit: Hill however he
diflembled his fears, and fat down again; they confidered
him with great attention and curiofity, particularly his-
clothes, and then felt his hands and face, and fatisfied them-
felves that his body was of the fame texture with their own.
They treated him with the greateft civility, and having kept
him about half an hour, they made figns that he might depart
; he did not wait for a fecond difmilfion, but when he-
left them, not taking the diredt way to the fhip, they came
from their fire and directed him; fo that they well knew
whence he came.
In the mean time, Mr. Banks, having made an excurfion
on the other fide of the river to gather plants, found the:
greateft part of the cloth that had been given to the Indians-
lying in a heap together, probably as ufelefs lumber, not
worth carrying away; and perhaps, if he had fought further,
he might have found the other trinkets; for they
feemed to fet very little value upon any thing we had, except
our turtle, which was a commodity that we were leaft able
to fpare.
The blowing weather, which prevented’ our attempt to-Tuefday 242
get out to fea, Hill continuing, Mr.-Banks and Dr. Solander
went again out on the 24th to fee whether any new plant
could be picked up: they traverfed the woods all day without
fuc.cefs ; but as they were returning through a deep valley,