The latitude of this ifland, deduced from the fun’s altitude taken
at noon, was 2 7 0 34' 5 $ " S. making the depth o f this bay,
from Cape Moreton, to be thirty-four miles; for beyond this
ifland the bay was comraded into a river, of confiderable width indeed,
but it appeared to be fo flioal, or, if there was any deep channel,
to be fo difficult o f accefs, that Mr. Flinders gave up all idea of
purfuing it further, efpecially as the winds were obftinately ad-
verle: he therefore returned on board, with the intention o f running
into the river near the Qlafs-Fioufe peaks, there to lay the
floop on fhore, and procure a fupply o f frefh water, i f a convenient
fituation could be found.
The following day was palled in endeavouring to get into the
river, which, from the pumice-ftone found upon its Ihores, obtained
the name o f Pumice-Stone R iver, anchoring at fun-fet within
two miles Of its entrance.
Early the next morning (Sunday the 2 1ft), Mr. Flinders went
in his boat to examine the river, and the entrance into it. On
approaching Point Skirmilh, five or fix natives came down to the
boat unarmed, and, by friendly geftures and offer’s o f their girdles
and fmall nets, endeavoured to perfuade him to land. He could
not fatisfy himfelf whether they had any treacherous defign in this,
or whether their prefenting themfelves unarmed proceeded from
any confidence which they might have felt, that neither himfelf
nor his people would hurt them i f they were not the aggreffors.
In this point o f view, the offer o f their girdles and nets might
have been meant as an atonement for their former conduit; he
did not, however, choofe to truft them, but proceeded to examine
the river.
Although the fhoals in the river were very intricate ; yet, finding
that there was depth o f water fufficient to admit the floop, he
determined to get her into it.
Upon thefe fhoals were feveral pelicans ; and they had not proceeded
far with their boat before they were greeted with the wellknown
243
known Greaking note of the fwan. Thefe now engaged a great
part of their attention, and before they left the river eight of them
‘were killed.
When they had nearly reached the end of their excurfion, two
natives came down to the beach, and feemed defirous for them to
land. There being a dry fand at a fufficient diftance to be out o f the
reach o f fpears, they put alhore upon it. About the fame time,
Mr. Flinders taking up his gun to fire at two red-bills, the natives
ran into the woodsy but on Bong-ree’ s advancing that way they
returned, and he made a friendly exchange for their hair fillets and
belts, giving them a white woollen cap in return, and came to the
boat for a piece o f white cloth and fome bifcuit for them, to make
the exchange, equal. During this time Mr. Flinders was on fhore
upon the fand bank with a gun, to cover him in cafe their behaviour
fhould be unfriendly. On his advancing toward them, they
were very vpciferous for him to remain at a diftance, and would in no
wife admit of his approaching without laying down his gun. This
plaee was about fix miles from Point Skirmifh ; but it was evident
that the fame and dread of their fire-arms had reached thus far, and
were mod probably increafed by the fhooting of the fwans, which
they miift have witneffed.
In returning down the river, they were called to by a man on the
weft fide, who had a fpear in his hand ; but two women and feveral
children being behind argued rather againft any premeditated
hoftility. The women and children retired on their approaching
the fhore ; but they were obferved to be peeping at them
from behind the bufhes. This man made great exclamations for
the mufquet to be laid down, calling out “ woo-rah, woo-rab,”
as others had done, and feemed pleafed when it was complied
with ; but he could not have heard many particulars o f their
weapons, for, on pointing a mufquet toward him to try the experiment,
he did not appear to be fenfible o f the danger to himfelf
in that cafe. As he did not choofe to quit his ipear, and the fun
I J 2 W3.S