Lieutenant Fowler And The Rest Of The Gentlemen Waited Until
Dark In Hopes Of Their Appearing And Then Went On Board And A Boat With A
Midshipman Was Immediately Sent To Wait At The Beach But As Neither
Appeared The Boat Returned.
In the morning two guns were fired from the
Investigator as signals and we saw two boats go to shore we supposed to
search for those missing.
"Tuesday, August 17th. Seventeen of the natives came down to the beach.
On seeing them a number of the officers of the Investigator went on
shore. I also went.* (* Captain Flinders took a boat to Cape Keppel in
order to obtain bearings.) We continued on friendly terms with them all
day, and it is worth remarking that they having met Mr. Evans and the one
seamen led them down to the beach and even gave them a duck each to eat
on their making signs of their hunger. We had a drum, fife and fiddle on
shore with us but on playing and beating they signified their displeasure
and some of them ran off but on our ceasing returned. We made them
presents of caps, tomahawks, etc., but they would give nothing in return.
Their spears and waddas are much the same as at Sydney, they don't use
the throwing stick. At daylight weighed. Came to again.* (* It took the
whole day to get into the offing. A sketch of the island and of Cape
Keppel was made by Mr. Westall while beating out of the bay.
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