I
16+
1^88. the grave. We ctit down fome trees Which flood bê-
, tween that on which the iflfcription is fi^id and the
fhore, as they prevented perdons paffiftg in boats flora
feeing it.
Between this and the harbour’ s taoUthj we found forty-
nine canoes hauled upon the beach, but ;ftbt a native to>
be feen. After we had paffed them, wé fell in with ân
Indian path ; and, as it took a tüftt tow&îds-^h'^éalËpv
we followed it-about two ïftilà f when ott a fuddtftj ift: a
valley or little bay, to the northward of lOtany Bay* We
were furprifed at hearing the found of voices* which
we inftantly found: to proceed from a great number of
the natives, fitting behind a rock, who .appeared to be
equally aftonifhed with ourfelves j as, from the filencé we
obferved, they had not perceived us rill we were within
twenty yards of them. Every one of them, as they, got
up, armed himlelf with a long fpear, the fiiort flick
before deferibed, ufed in throwing it, a fliield made of
bark, and either a large club, pointed at oné end,
or a ftone hatchet. At ftrft they feenied rather hôftilêly
inclined-, and made figns, With apparent tokens of âïigéf,
for us to return ; but when they faw the governor advance
yance towtads ' themy unarmed, and with his hands opened
wide.-t(a fignab we had obferved -among them of amity
and peace),, they,, with great confidence, came'Up to him,
and received from him fome trifles which he had in his
pocket, fuch as fi£h-hooks, beads, and a looking-glafs.
As there appeared not to-be lefs than three hundred o f them
in this bay, all armed, .the foldiers were ordered to fix
their bayonets, and toobferve a clofe, well conneded, order
of march,, as they defended the hill. : Thcfe people (as
already mentioned) feem to dlflike red coats, and thofe
who carry arms; but, on the prefent oceafion, they fhewed
very little fear or diftruft; on the contrary they, in a few
minutes, -mixed with us, and condu&ed us to a very fine
flream of water, out of which fome of them drank, to
fhew that it was good. The women and children kept
at feme, diftance, one @te two more forward than the reft
excepted, who came to the governor, for fome prefents.
While he was diftributing his ftgifts, the women danced (an
cxercife every defeription of people in this country feem
fond of), and threw; themfelvcs into fome not very decent
attitudes.
The men in general had their fkins fmeared all over
with