Mr. Bowen Then Broke A Piece Of Stick And Cut It With The Tomahawk And Tyed A Handkerchief To It

And again reached it to them; on this, one of the young men ventured to reach his hand and take

It out of the officer's but would by no means be so familiar as to shake hands. Mr. Bowen then ate some bread and then gave them some which they did not eat, but carefully laid it by under some fern roots or leaves; on getting some ducks they took no other notice of them than to examine in what manner they were killed, what their ideas on that head were we know not as they did not take the least notice of our firearms even when, towards the latter end of the parley, it was found necessary to point one at the breast of the old man who all along was very suspicious of our designs.

"All this time they expressed a good deal of wonder at the colour of Mr. Bowen's skin, and one of the young men made very significant signs to him that he must have washed himself very hard. They now made signs for Mr. Bowen to go back to the boat and pointed down along the beach to Crown Head. Mr. Bowen accordingly went into the boat and pulled down as they walked, after pulling about 1 1/2 miles they stopped and beckoned for the boat to come in - here 3 women made their appearance each with a child at her back. Mr. Bowen went on shore here, little passed on either side further than on Mr. Bowen asking for fire to warm himself. They pointed to the boat and made signs for him to go there and get it the women sometimes shook their hands to him, and the boys laughing and hooping. A few more trifles were here given to them. A little before this all our people got out of the boat stark naked as was desired and walked somewhat near the natives, on which the old man sent the boys away to the women, and he, after having been in a great passion, made signs for us to go to the boat, began to retire with his face to us and brandishing his spear as that everyone thought he would heave it, when our people turned their backs the young men seemed more quiet. As we saw that all hope of further intercourse for the present was at an end Mr. Bowen ordered Bond to fire his piece over their heads in order to make good his retreat to the boat. This had the desired effect, as they one and all were out of sight in an instant. Before this they must have taken the musket for nothing but a stick. All the weapons they possessed were their spears (of a small size) and a stone tomahawk along with the wumera they throw with. With respect to their size the young men were much the same as those of Sydney or Jarvis Bay.

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