Chapter XIII: Part 13

Mr. Banks and a party having taken a boat up the river, on the 6th, with a view to make an excursion in the country, returned on the 8th.--They examined some parts of the country, which differing but little from what they had already seen, they followed the course of the river, which they at length found contracted into a narrow channel, bounded by steep banks, which were adorned with trees of a most beautiful appearance, among which was the bark-tree. The land was low and covered with grass, and seemed capable of being cultivated to great advantage. They saw several animals, one of which was judged to be a wolf. At night they made a fire, and took up their quarters on the banks of the river; but the night was rendered extremely disagreeable by the stings of the musquitos, which pursued them into the smoke, and almost into the fire. At break of day they sat out in search of game, and saw four animals, two of which were chaced by Mr. Banks’s greyhound; but they greatly outstripped him in speed, by leaping over the long thick grass, which incommoded the dog in running. It was observed of this animal, that he leaped or bounded forward on two legs, instead of running on four. Having returned to the boat, they proceeded up the river, till it contracted to a brook of fresh water, but in which the tide still rose considerably. When they stopped for the night, they saw a smoke at a small distance, on which three of them approached it, but the Indians were gone. They saw the impression of feet on the sand, below high-water mark, and found a fire still burning in the hollow of an old tree. At a small distance they saw several huts, and observed ovens dug in the ground; the remains of a recent meal were likewise apparent. They now retired to their resting place, and slept on plantain-leaves, with bunches of grass for their pillows, on the side of a sand-bank, under the shelter of a bush.

The tide favouring their return in the morning, they lost no time in getting back to the ship. The master, who had been seven leagues at sea, returned soon after Mr. Banks, bringing with him three turtle, which he took with a boat hook, and which together weighed near eight hundred pounds. He was sent out next morning, and Mr. Banks accompanied him with proper instruments for catching turtle; but, not being successful, he would not go back that night; so that Mr. Banks, after collecting some shells and marine productions, returned in his own small boat.

In the morning the second Lieutenant was sent to bring the Master back, soon after which four Indians, in a small canoe, were within sight. The Captain now determined to take no notice of these people, as the most likely way to be noticed by them. This project answered: two of them came within musket-shot of the vessel, where they conversed very loud: in return the people on board shouted, and made signs of invitation. The Indians gradually approached, with their lances held up, not in a menacing manner, but as if they meant to intimate they were capable of defending themselves. They came almost along-side, when the Captain threw them cloth, nails, paper, &c. which did not seem to attract their notice. At length one of the sailors threw them a small fish, which so pleased them, that they hinted their design of bringing their companions, and immediately rowed for the shore. In the interim, Tupia and some of the crew landed on the opposite shore. The four Indians now came quite along-side the ship; and having received farther presents, landed where Tupia and the sailors had gone. They had each two lances, and a stick with which they throw them. Advancing towards the English, Tupia persuaded them to lay down their arms, and sit by him, which they readily did. Others of the crew now going a-shore, the Indians seemed jealous, least they should get between them and their arms; but care was taken to convince them that no such thing was intended, and more trifles were presented to them. The crew staid with them till dinner-time, and then made signs of invitation for them to go to the ship and eat; but this they declined, and retired in their canoe.

These men were of the common stature, with very small limbs; their complexion a deep chocolate; their hair black, either lank or curled, but not of the wool kind; the breast and upper lip of one of them were painted with streaks of white, which he called _Carbanda_, and some parts of their bodies had been painted red. Their teeth were white and even, their eyes bright, and their features rather pleasing: their voices were musical, and they repeated several English words with great readiness.

The visit of three of these Indians was renewed the next morning, and they brought with them a fourth, whom they called YAPA-RICO; who appeared to be a person of some consequence. The bone of a bird, about six inches long, was thrust through the gristle of his nose: and indeed all the inhabitants of this place had their noses bored, for the reception of such an ornament. These people being all naked, the Captain gave one of them an old shirt, which he bound round his head like a turban, instead of using it to cover any part of his body. They brought a fish to the ship, which was supposed to be in payment for that given them the preceding day: after staying some time, with apparent satisfaction, they suddenly leaped into their canoe, and rowed off, from a jealousy of some of the gentlemen who were examining it.

Three Indians visited Tupia’s tent on the 12th of July, and after remaining some time, one of them went for two others, whom he introduced by name. Some fish was offered them, but they seemed not much to regard it, and, after eating a little, gave the remainder to Mr. Banks’s dog. Some ribbands which had been given them, to which medals were suspended round their necks, were so changed by smoke, that it was difficult to judge what colour they had been; and the smoke had made their skins look darker than their natural colour; from whence it was thought that they slept close to their fires, as a preventative against the sting of the musquitos. Both the strangers had bones through their noses, and a piece of bark tied over the forehead; and one of them had an ornament of strings round his arm, and an elegant necklace made of shells. Their canoe was about ten feet long, and calculated to hold four persons; and when it was in shallow water they moved it by means of poles. Their lances had only a single point, and some of them were barbed with fish-bones. On the 14th Mr. Gore shot one of the mouse-coloured animals abovementioned. It chanced to be a young one, weighing no more than thirty-eight pounds; but when full grown they are as large as a sheep. The skin of this beast, which is called _Kanguroo_, is covered with short fur, and is of a dark mouse-colour: the head and ears are somewhat like those of a hare: this animal was dressed for dinner, and proved fine eating. The ship’s crew fed on turtle almost every day, which were finer than those eaten in England, owing to their being killed before their natural fat was wasted, and their juices changed.

On the 17th Messrs. Banks and Solander went with the Captain into the woods, and saw four Indians in a canoe, who went on shore, and walked up without sign of fear. They accepted some beads, and departed, intimating, that they did not chuse to be followed. The natives being now become familiar with the ship’s crew, one of them was desired to throw his lance, which he did with such dexterity and force, that though it was not above four feet from the ground at the highest, it penetrated deeply into a tree at the distance of fifty yards. The natives now went on board the ship, and were well pleased with their entertainment. On the 19th they saw several of the women, who, as well as the men, were quite naked. They were this day visited by ten of the natives, who seemed resolved to have one of the turtle that was on board, which they repeatedly made signs for, and being as repeatedly refused, they expressed the utmost rage and resentment; and one of them, in particular, having received a denial from Mr. Banks, he stamped, and pushed him away in the most violent manner. At length they laid hands on two of the turtles, and drew them to the side of the ship where their canoe lay; but the sailors took them away. They made several similar attempts, but being equally unsuccessful, they leaped suddenly into their canoe, and rowed off. At this instant the Captain, with Mr. Banks, and five or fix seamen, went ashore, where they arrived before the Indians, and where many of the crew were already employed. As soon as the Indians landed, one of them snatched a fire-brand from under a pitch kettle, and running to the windward of what effects were on shore, set fire to the dry grass, which burnt rapidly, scorched a pig to death, burnt part of the smith’s forge, and would have destroyed a tent of Mr. Banks’s, but that some people came from the ship just in time to get it out of the way of the flames. In the interim the Indians went to a place where the fishing nets lay, and a quantity of linen was laid out to dry, and there again set fire to the grass, in spite of all persuasion, and even of threats. A musket loaded with small shot was now fired, and one of them being wounded, they ran away, and this second fire was easily extinguished; but the other burnt far into the woods.

The natives continuing still in sight, a musquet charged with ball was fired near them; upon hearing which they soon got out of sight: but their voices being soon heard in the woods, and seeming to come nearer, the Captain, with a few people, went to meet them. When they were in sight of each other, both parties stopped, except an old Indian, who advanced before the rest a little way, but soon halted, and speaking a few words, retreated to his brethren, and they all retired slowly together. The English having seized some of their darts, followed them about a mile, and then sat down, the Indians sitting about an hundred yards from them. The old man again came forward, having in his hand a lance with a point. He stopped and spoke several times, on which the Captain made signs of friendship. The old Indian now turned to his companions, and having spoken to them, they placed their lances against a tree, and came forward as in friendship; whereupon their darts which had been taken were returned, and the whole quarrel seemed to be at an end. The Indians having accepted some trinkets, walked amicably toward the coast, intimating, by signs, that they would not fire the grass again. They sat down opposite the ship, but would not go on board; and they accepted a few musquet-balls, the use and effect of which the Captain endeavoured to explain to them. When Captain Cook got on board he saw the woods burning at the distance of two miles.

The master having been sent to search for a passage to the northward, returned with an account that he could not find any. By the night of the 20th the fire had extended many miles round them on the hills, which at night formed an appearance that was very striking. On the 22d they killed a turtle, through both shoulders of which stuck a wooden harpoon, which the Indians had striken it with, and the wound was quite healed. The next day one of the seamen, who had strayed from his company, met with four Indians at dinner: he was alarmed at this unexpected meeting, but had prudence enough to conceal his apprehensions, and sitting down by them, gave them his knife, which having all looked at, they returned: he would then have left them; but they chose to detain him till, by feeling his hands and face, they were convinced he was made of flesh and blood like themselves: they then dismissed him, directing him the nearest way to the ship.

Mr. Banks having gone on shore in search of plants, found the cloth, which had been distributed among the natives, lying in a heap, as a commodity of no value. On the 24th, Messrs. Solander and Banks found several marking nuts [the _Anacardium orientale_] on the ground; but their search for the tree that bore them was fruitless. On the 26th Mr. Banks catched a female animal, called the _Opossum_, with two young ones.

By the 29th the ship was ready for sea; but there was not water sufficient for her to pass the bar. On the first of August they found that their pumps were all rotten; but as the ship admitted only an inch of water in an hour, they hoped she would be stout enough to bear the voyage. On the 4th of this month they put to sea, the pinnace going a-head to keep sounding, and at noon came to an anchor, when the Captain gave the name of CAPE BEDFORD to the northermost point of land in sight, and that of ENDEAVOUR RIVER to the harbour which they had quitted.

The provisions they obtained while in this harbour, consisted of turtle, which they went some miles to sea to catch; oysters of three different sorts, large cavalhe or scomber, large mullets, some flat fish, a great number of small scombri, and skate or ray fish; purslain, wild beans, the tops of coccos, and cabbage palms. Of quadrupedes there are goats, wolves, and pole-cats, and a spotted animal of the viverra kind; and several kinds of serpents, only some of which are venomous. Dogs are the only tame animals; the land-fowls are kites, crows, hawks, loriquets, cockatoos, parrots, pigeons, and small birds of various kinds, the names of which were not known: the water-fowls are wild geese, curlieus, hens, whistling ducks, which perch on trees, and some few others. The soil produces the gum tree, and various other kinds of wood, and coarse grass: the whole of the country is well watered, and ant hills abound in every part of it.

On the 4th the Captain ascended to the masthead, to look at some shoals which threatened great danger; and he saw several of them above the water. This day such a quantity of fish was catched, as allowed a dividend of two pounds to each man. During the six following days they struggled incessantly to sail safely past the shoals and breakers, by which they were every way surrounded; but, for the present, their attempts were vain. On the 10th they were between a head-land, and three islands, which had been discovered on the preceding day; and began to conceive hopes that they were out of danger; but this not proving the case, the head-land received the name of CAPE FLATTERY. Some land was now seen from the mast-head, which was generally taken for the main; but the Captain judged it to be a cluster of islands; and during this diversity of opinion, the ship came to an anchor. The Captain now landed, and ascending a high point, took a survey of the sea coast, by which he was confirmed in his opinion, that what they had seen was not any part of the main, but a number of islands. On the point where he stood were seen the prints of human feet, in white sand of an exquisite fineness, and the spot was denominated POINT LOOKOUT.

Early on the 11th Mr. Banks and the Captain went to visit the largest of three islands, which had been seen from the point the preceding day. Having gained the summit of the highest hill, they beheld a reef of rocks, on which the sea broke in a frightful manner; but the thickness of the weather preventing a perfect view, they lodged under a bush during the night, in the hope of having a better prospect in the morning; but the weather then proved worse than it had been on the preceding day; yet, as they saw what had the appearance of a channel between the reefs, a person was sent to examine it, who found it very narrow. They now set out to return to the ship, after giving the name of LIZARD ISLAND to this place, from their having seen no animals but lizards on it.

On their return they landed on a low sandy island, which abounded in birds of various kinds, among which were eagles, a nest of the young of which they took, and called the place EAGLE ISLAND. On this spot they saw the nest of some bird, which was built with sticks on the ground, it was near three feet in height, and twenty-six round.

During the interval of their absence from the ship, the master had landed on several low islands, where he had seen great heaps of turtle-shells, and found the fins of them which the Indians had left hanging on the trees, so fresh, that they were dressed and eaten by the boat’s crew.

After a conversation held among the officers, it was their concurrent opinion, that it would be best to leave the coast, and stand out to sea: and in consequence of these sentiments they sailed on the 13th of August, 1770, and got through one of the channels in the reef; happy to be once more in an open sea, after having been surrounded by dreadful shoals and rocks for near three months. They had now sailed above a thousand miles, during all which run they had been obliged to keep sounding, without the intermission of a single minute; a circumstance which, it is supposed, never happened to any ship but the Endeavour.

The islands from one of which the passage to the open sea had been observed, were called the ISLANDS OF DIRECTION. They abound in turtle and other fish, and on the beach were found bamboos, cocoa nuts, pumice-stone, and the seeds of plants, which were supposed to be carried thither by the trade winds, as the plants themselves do not grow in the country.

Having anchored on the 14th, they steered a westerly course on the following day, to get sight of the land, that a passage between that land and New Guinea might not be missed, if there was any such passage. Early in the afternoon they had sight of land, which had the appearance of hilly islands, but it was judged to be a part of the main; and they saw breakers between the vessel and the land, in which was an opening, to get clear of which they set all their sails, and stood to the northward till midnight, and then went on a southward tack for about two miles, when the breeze died away to a dead calm. When day-light came on they saw a dreadful surf break at a vast height within a mile of the ship, towards which the rolling waves carried her with great rapidity. Thus distressed, the boats were sent a-head to tow, and the head of the vessel was brought about, but not till she was within one hundred yards of the rock, between which and her there was nothing left but the chasm, made by the last wave which had washed her side, and which had risen and broke to a wonderful height on the rock:--but, in the moment they expected instant destruction, a breeze, hardly discernible, aided the boats in getting the vessel in an oblique direction from the rock. The hopes however, afforded by this providential circumference, were destroyed by a perfect calm which succeeded in a few minutes; yet the breeze once more returned, before they had lost the little ground which had been gained.

At this time a small opening was seen in the reef, and a young officer being sent to examine it, found that its breadth did not much exceed the length of the ship, but that there was smooth water on the other side of the rocks. Animated by the hope of preserving life, they now attempted to pass the opening; but this was impossible; for it having become high water in the interim, the ebb tide rushed through it with amazing impetuosity, carrying the ship about a quarter of a mile from the reef, and she soon reached the distance of near two miles, by the help of the boats. When the ebb tide was spent, the tide of flood again drove the vessel very near the rocks, so that their prospect of destruction was renewed, when they discovered another opening, and a light breeze springing up, they entered it, and were driven through it with a rapidity that prevented the ship from striking against either side of the channel. The ship now came to an anchor, and her crew were grateful for having regained a station, which they had been very lately most anxious to quit.

The name of PROVIDENTIAL CHANNEL was given to the opening through which the ship had thus escaped the most imminent dangers. A high promontory on the main land in sight, was denominated CAPE WEYMOUTH, and a bay near it WEYMOUTH BAY. This day the boats went out to fish, and met with great success, particularly in catching cockles, some of which were of such an amazing size, as to require the strength of two men to move them. Mr. Banks likewise succeeded in his search for rare shells, and different kinds of coral.

On the 18th they discovered several small islands, which were called FORBES’S ISLANDS, and had sight of a high point of land on the main, which was named the BOLT HEAD. On the 19th they discovered several other small islands, the land of which was low, barren, and sandy. A point was seen, and called CAPE GRENVILLE, and a bay which took the name of TEMPLE BAY. In the afternoon many other islands were seen, which were denominated BIRD ISLES, from their being frequented by numerous flocks of birds.

On the 20th many more small islands were seen, on one of which there were a few trees, and many Indian huts, supposed to have been erected by the natives of the main land, as temporary habitations during their visits to these islands. On the 21st they sailed through a channel, in which was a number of shoals; and gave the name of YORK CAPE to a point of the main land which forms the side of the channel. A large bay is formed to the south of the cape, which was called NEWCASTLE BAY, and in which are several little islands. On the north side of the cape the land is rather mountainous, but the low parts of the country abound with trees. The islands discovered in the morning of this day, were called YORK ISLES. In the afternoon they anchored between some islands, and observed, that the channel now began to grow wider: they observed two distant points, between which no land could be seen, so that the hope of having at length explored a passage into the Indian sea began to animate every breast: but, to bring the matter nearer to a certainty, the Captain took a party, and being accompanied by Messrs. Solander and Banks, they landed on an island, on which they had seen a number of Indians, ten of whom were on a hill, one of them carrying a bow, and a bundle of arrows, the rest armed with lances; and round the necks of two of them hung strings of mother-of-pearl. Three of these Indians stood on the shore, as if to oppose the landing of the boat; but they retired before it reached the beach.

The Captain and his company now ascended a hill, from whence they had a view of near forty miles, in which space there was nothing that threatened to oppose their passage; so that the certainty of a channel seemed to be almost ascertained. Previous to their leaving the island, Captain Cook displayed the English colours, and took possession of all the eastern coast of the country, from the 38th degree of south-latitude, to the present spot, by the name of NEW SOUTH WALES, for his Sovereign the King of Great Britain; and three vollies of small arms being fired, and answered by an equal number from the _Endeavour_, the place received the name of POSSESSION ISLAND.

The next morning they saw three naked women collecting shell-fish on the beach; and weighing anchor, gave the name of CAPE CORNWALL to the extreme point of the largest island on the north-west side of the passage: some low islands near the middle of the channel receiving the name of WALLIS’S ISLES; soon after which the ship came to an anchor, and the long-boat was sent out to sound.

Towards evening they sailed again, and the Captain landed with Mr. Banks on a small island, which was frequented by immense numbers of birds, the majority of which being boobies, the place received the name of BOOBY ISLAND. They were now advanced to the northern extremity of New Holland, and had the satisfaction of viewing the open sea to the westward. The north-east entrance of the passage is formed by the main land of New Holland, and by a number of islands which took the name of the PRINCE OF WALES’S ISLANDS, and which Captain Cook imagines may reach to New Guinea: these islands abound with trees and grass, and were known to be inhabited, from the smoke that was seen ascending in many places.

To the passage which they had sailed through, Captain Cook gave the name of ENDEAVOUR STREIGHTS; we shall now proceed to a more accurate description of the country they had discovered; with an account of its productions, and of the manners and language of its inhabitants.

New South Wales is a much larger country than any hitherto known, which is not deemed a continent, being larger than all Europe; which is proved by the Endeavour having coasted more than two thousand miles, even if her tract was reduced to a strait line. Northward of the latitude of thirty-three degrees, the country is hilly, but not mountainous; but to the southward of that latitude, it is mostly low and even ground. The hills in general are diversified by lawns and woods, and many of the vallies abound with herbage; though, on the whole, it cannot be deemed a fertile country. To the northward the grass is not so rich, nor the trees so high as in the southern parts; and almost every where, even the largest trees grow at a distance of not less than thirteen yards asunder. In all those places where the land forms a bay, the shore is covered with mangroves, which grow about a mile inland, in a stinking ground, which the spring tides always overflow. In some parts there are bogs, covered with thick grass, and there is plenty of underwood in the vallies: the soil in general seems unfit for cultivation, though there are many spots where the arts of tillage might be attended with success.

Salt creeks run in many directions through the country, which likewise abounds in springs and brooks of fresh water, but has no rivers of any considerable size; yet it is supposed to be upon the whole well watered, as the time when the ship was on the coast, was the driest season of the year. All parts of the country produce the gum tree, which yields a resin like the _sanguis draconis_.

There are palm-trees of three kinds, two of which are found only in the northern district. One of these produces nuts resembling chesnuts, the hulls of which being found near where the natives had made fires, it was supposed that they were eatable; but some of the seamen having eaten of them, were taken very ill: upon which they were given to the hogs, but two of these died in about a week, and it was a work of difficulty to recover the rest. The second sort of palm is much like the true cabbage tree of the West Indies, and yields a large cabbage of a tolerable flavour. The third sort, which abounds in the southward parts, produces a small cabbage of the most agreeable taste; and its nuts, which are fine food for hogs, grow in the greatest abundance. This country also produces a tree, on which grows a kind of purple apple, which tastes like a damascen, after keeping it a few days:--a fig-tree, the fruit of which tastes very indifferently:--and a tree, the fruit of which is flat on the sides like a cheese, but its colour is that of a plumb.

Among the plants there is one, the leaves of which are like those of the bulrush, which yields a bright yellow resin, exactly like gambouge, but it does not stain: this plant had a very agreeable smell, but it is not known to what uses it might be applied. There are two kinds of yams, one round, and covered with stringy fibres, and the other shaped like a radish; but both of them are pleasant to the taste: besides these, the country produces purslain, and a kind of wild parsley. A fruit of a bad taste was found, which resembled a pine-apple, and another, the kernel of which was soft, but it was otherwise like a cherry.

Besides the quadrupedes already mentioned, there is one, the belly of which is totally white, and the back brown, with white spots: it is much like a polecat, and the Indians call it _Quoll_.--There are vast numbers of beautiful pigeons, many of which were shot by the seamen; and the other land-birds are eagles, hawks, cranes, herons, bustards, crows, quails, doves, parrots, paroquets, cockatoos, and some other birds of very elegant plumage.

The insects are few in number, among which the musquito and the ant are the chief. The ants are of four kinds. The first are perfectly green, and live on trees, in which they build curious nests, by bending down the leaves, and gluing them together with an animal juice: thousands of them joined to keep the leaf in its proper position, while many others were employed in the gluing them. Being disturbed in their work, the leaves, which are four or five inches in breadth, flew back with a force which was thought much superior to the united strength of these insects. Those who disturbed them paid for their curiosity, by being stung in a very severe manner.

The second kind of ants are quite black, and live in the inside of the branches of trees, after they have worked out the pith. Some of the branches being gathered, millions of these animals issued from every broken twig.

The third sort took up their lodging in the root of a plant that twines round the trunk of other trees. This root, which they hollowed for their purpose, was cut into great numbers of passages which ran across each other; yet the plant appeared not to have been injured. These were not more than half the size of the red ant of this country, but, upon being disturbed, they crawled over the body in thousands, and put their disturbers to the pain arising from exquisite tickling.

The fourth kind were like the white ants of the East Indies; and had one sort of nests, as big as an half peck loaf, hanging from the boughs of the trees, and composed of several minute parts of vegetables, stuck together by a glutinous matter, supposed to have been supplied from their own bodies. The cells had a communication with each other, and had openings which led to other nests on the same tree: they had likewise a hollow covered passage to another nest on the ground, at the root of a different tree from that on which the former nest was suspended. The ground nests are six feet in height, and almost as much in breadth; the outside being plaistered with clay of near two inches in thickness: these have a subterraneous passage to the roots of the trees near which they stand; from whence the ants ascend, by covered ways, up the trunk and branches. As these ground-built houses are proof against the invasion of the rain, it is supposed that the ants retire to them during the wet season.

The seas in these parts produce variety and plenty of fish, among which are mullets, sea-crayfish, and crabs. On the shoals are found the rock, pearl, and other oysters; and the most delicate green turtle, besides those enormous cockles which have been already mentioned. Alligators are found in the rivers and salt creeks.

This country does not appear to be inhabited by numbers any way proportioned to its great extent: not above thirty being ever seen together but once, which was when those of both sexes and all ages got together on a rock off Botany-bay, to view the ship. None of their villages consisted of more huts than would afford shelter for fourteen or fifteen men; and these were the largest numbers that ever assembled with a view to attack the English. No part of the country appeared to be cultivated; whence there must necessarily be fewer inhabitants inland, than on the sea coast.

The men are well made, of the middle size, and active in a high degree; but their voices are soft even to effeminacy. Their colour is the chocolate; but they were so covered with dirt, as to look almost as black as negroes. Their hair is naturally long and black, but they commonly crop it short; in some few instances it is slightly curled, but in common quite strait. It is always matted with dirt, yet wholly free from lice: their beards are thick and bushy, but kept short by singing. The women were seen only at a distance, as the men constantly left them behind when they crossed the river.

The chief ornament of these people is the bone that is thrust through the nose, which the sailors whimsically termed their spritsail yard: but besides this they wore necklaces formed of shells, a small cord tied twice or thrice round the arm between the elbow and the shoulder, and a string of plaited human hair round the waist. Some few of them had an ornament of shells hanging across the breast. Besides these ornaments, they painted their bodies and limbs white and red, in stripes of different dimensions; and they had a circle of white round each eye, and spots of it on the face. Their ears were bored, but they did not wear ear-rings.

These people accepted whatever was given them, but seemed to have no idea of making an adequate return; and they would not part with their ornaments for any thing that was offered in exchange. Their bodies were marked with scars, which they signified were in remembrance of the deceased.

Their huts were built with small rods, the two ends of which were fixed into the ground, so as to form the figure of an oven; they are covered with pieces of bark and palm-leaves. The door of this building, which is only high enough to sit upright in, is opposite to the fire-place; they sleep with their heels turned up towards their heads, and even in this posture the hut will not hold more than four people. In the northern parts, where the weather was warmer, one side of the houses was left open, and the other opposed to whatever wind might blow at the time: these huts were only built for temporary use, and left behind when they removed to other parts of the country; but if their stay was only for a night or two, they had no other protection from the weather than what the grass and bushes afforded. While the huts on the main land were turned from the wind, those on the islands were turned towards it; a kind of proof that they visit the islands in fine weather, and enjoy the refreshing breeze while they sleep.

These huts are furnished with a kind of bucket for fetching water, made of an oblong piece of bark tied up at each end with the twig of a tree; and this is the only furniture of the house. On their backs they have a kind of bag, of the size and form of a cabbage-net, in which they carry their fish-hooks and lines, the shells of which they make these hooks, the ornaments which they wear, some points of darts, and two or three bits of paint; and in this narrow compass lies all their riches.

They feed on the kanguroo, and on several kinds of birds, when they can catch them; they likewise eat yams, and various kinds of fruit; but the principal article of their subsistence is fish. They were frequently observed with the leaves of a tree in their mouths, but whether it had the qualities either of tobacco or betle could not be known; but it was observed not to discolour the teeth or lips.

From the notches that were seen in great numbers of trees, for the purpose of climbing them, it was imagined that their method of taking the kanguroo, was by striking it with their lances as it passed under the tree. In these trees, likewise, it is probable, that they took birds while they were roosting, as they seemed too shy to be otherwise catched.

Their method of producing fire, and extending the flames of it is very singular: having wrought one end of a stick into an obtuse point, they place this point upon a piece of dry wood, and turning the upright stick very fast backward and forward between their hands, the fire is soon produced; nor is it encreased with less celerity:--one of the natives was frequently observed to run along the sea coast, leaving fire in various places. The method taken to do this was as follows--before he set off, he wrapped up a little spark of fire in dry grass, and the quickness of his motion soon fanning it into a flame, he then placed it on the ground, and putting a spark of it in another bit of grass, ran on again, and encreased the number of his fires at pleasure. These fires were supposed to be intended for the taking of the kanguroo, as that animal was so very shy of fire, that when forced by the dogs, it would not cross places which had been newly burnt, even when the fire was extinguished.

The natives of New South Wales make use of spears or lances; but these are very differently constructed: those that were seen in the southern parts of the country had four prongs, pointed with bone, and barbed; and the points were rubbed with a hard kind of wax, the smoothness of which made an easier passage into what was struck by them. On the contrary, the lances in the northern parts have only one point: the shafts of them are of different lengths, from eight to fourteen feet, are made of the stalk of a plant not unlike a bulrush, and consist of several joints let into each other, and tied together. The points of these lances are sometimes made of fish-bones, and sometimes of a hard heavy wood: they are barbed with other pieces of wood or bone, so that when they have entered any depth into the body, they cannot be drawn out without tearing the flesh in a shocking manner, or leaving splinters behind them.

When the natives intend to wound at a considerable distance, they discharge this instrument with a throwing-stick; but if the object be near them, it is thrown from the hand only. The throwing-stick is a piece of smooth, hard, red wood, half an inch thick, two inches broad, and about three feet in length, having a cross piece near four inches long at one end, and a small knob at the other. A small hollow is made in the shaft of the lance, near the point, and in this hollow the knob is received; but, on being forced forward, it will easily slip from it. The lance being placed on this throwing-stick, the Indian holds it over his shoulder, shakes it, and then throws both lance and stick with his utmost power; but as the cross piece strikes the shoulder, the sudden jerk stops the stick, while the lance is driven forward with amazing rapidity, and is generally so well aimed, that a mark at the distance of fifty yards is more certainly struck with it, than by a bullet from a gun.

These people make use of shields, made of the bark of trees, of about eighteen inches broad, and three feet long. Many trees were seen from whence the bark had been taken, and others on which the shields were cut out, but not taken away.

In the northern parts of this coast, the canoes are formed by hollowing out the trunk of a tree; and it was conjectured, that this operation must have been performed by fire, as the natives did not appear to have any instrument proper for the purpose. The canoes are in length about fourteen feet, and so narrow that they would be frequently overset, but that they are provided with an outrigger. The natives row them with paddles, using both hands in that employment.

The canoes in the southern parts are formed only of a piece of bark four yards long, fastened together at each end, and the middle kept open by pieces of wood passing from side to side. In deep water these are rowed by paddles, of about a foot and a half in length, the rower having one in each hand; but in shallow water they are pushed forward by means of a long stick. As these vessels are extremely light, and draw very little water, the natives run them on the mud banks in search of shell-fish, some of which, it is probable, they broil and eat as soon as they are taken, as it was remarked, that in the center of these vessels there was usually a fire burning on a quantity of sea-weed.

The natives have no tools but a wooden mallet, a kind of wedge, and an adze, made of stone, with some pieces of coral and shells, which may possibly be applied to the purposes of cutting. They polish the points of their lances, and their throwing-sticks, with the leaves of a tree that appears to be the ficus riduola, or wild fig, which bites with a sharpness, almost equal to that of a rasp.

Four people is the greatest number that a canoe will contain; and when more than this number were to pass a river, three were landed out of the first freight, and one man went back for the rest.

That the natives of this country sometimes wage war with each other is evident, from their being possessed of shields and weapons; yet not a single wound was seen on any of their bodies: and, if they are neither destroyed in war, nor carried off by famine, it will be difficult to form a judgment by what means the number of the inhabitants are so reduced, as to subsist on the products of the country: after all, it will, perhaps, be best to attribute this circumstance to the wisdom of that Providence, which distributes all its blessings with the most unbounded goodness, and the most consummate wisdom.

END OF THE THIRD VOLUME.

Transcriber’s notes

New original cover art included with this ebook is granted to the public domain.

The illustrations have been moved to appropriate paragraph breaks.

The original text used the long s. This has been changed to the regular s.

Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.

Archaic and inconsistent spelling and hyphenation have been retained.