three feet. At each end it had a pointed ftick of about the fame
length. Upon the fhoal near the houfe, there was more than one
inclofure o f a'femicircular form, and the flicks and branches of
which it was made were fet and interwoven fo Clofe, that a fifh
could not pafs between. This net Mr. Flinders fuppofed was to
be placed diametrically acrofs the femicircle at high water, and thus
fecure all the fifh that might get within the inclofure, until the
falling tide Ihould leave them dry. He brought away the net, as
a proof of the fuperior ingenuity of thefe over the natives o f Port
Jackfon, leaving them in return a hatchet, the only prefent which
he had to make them; and that they might the fooner learn the
great ufe o f their new acquifition, and be confoled for the lofs o f
their net, he cut down fome branches and laid them before the
hut.
The wood, which at high water was collected for their fire,
proved, when cut up, to be cedar, and o f a fine grain. The remains
o f a canoe made o f the ftringy bark were lying upon the
Ihore, near the houfe whence the net had been taken.
There were traces o f dogs, kangooroos, an~d emus upon the
beach. Two hawks o f a moderate fize were fliot, but their plumage
was unlike that o f any known at Port Jackfon. That which
was the moft remarkable was o f an unvariegated dull red colour in
the body, with a milk-white neck, breaft, and head.
In the afternoon they made fome further progrefs with the Hoop,
anchoring for the night on a foft muddy bottom.
On the following morning they got under weigh with a flood
tide, and a moderate breeze from the northward. In their progrefs,
they paflfed two iflands, of from three to four miles each in
circuit. The northernmoft was the largeft, and feemed well covered
with wood, the greater part o f which was probably mangrove,
the ifland. being nearly level with the water’s edge. The
foliage o f the trees upon the fouthern ifland was equally dark and
luxuriant with this, but the interior part of it was higher. There
were
were two other fmaller iflands, nearly on a level with the firft, and
covered with wood, but the fouthernmoft was very fmall.
In palling between, the two iflands they had deep water; but
on Its fuddenly Ihoaling they tacked and flood to the weftward.
In this fituation the entrance from Moreton Bay was open, the
fouth fide o f which bore N. 68° E. fix or eight miles, and the weft
fide o f what will now be Moreton Ifland bore N. 2° W. Another
ifland, apparently larger than either of the four above mentioned, bore
from the fame place from S. 55° to 34“ E. at the diftance of about
five miles. Reckoning the northernmoft o f the four iflands to be
the firft in number, they made their courfe good for the third
ifland, after tacking ; and the water deepened almoft immediately tO'
fix fathoms.
At this time their attention was much attracted by a party of natives
from thefe iflands, who appeared to he Handing up in their
canoes, and pulling toward them, with all their ftrength, in
very regular order. They feemed to have long poles or fpears in
their hands, with which alfo they appeared to be paddling, the
whole o f them Ihifting their hands at the fame inftant, after the
manner of the South Sea iflanders. As about twenty of them were
counted, and feemed to be coming on with much refolution, our
people prepared for whatever might be the event. The Hoop was
put under eafy fail, her decks cleared o f every incumbrance, and
each man was provided with a eompetent number o f mufquet balls,
piftol balls, and buck Ihot, which were to be ufed as the diftance
might require; for it was intended that not a man Ihould efcape if
they commenced an attack.
Being thus prepared, they bore away toward them, finding that
with all their exertions they did not approach much nearer to the
vefleh But what was their furprile on difeovering, that, inftead
of advancing in canoes to attack them, they were Handing upon a
large flat, that furrounded the third ifland, driving filh into their
nets, and that they had but two canoes among them. They were
1 Handing