Of his
mouth, a spear of a most dangerous kind, was thrown at and did not escape
Moss by a yard and in an instant the whole of the treacherous body that
Mr. Bowen and 4 of our people were sitting in the midst of opened out to
the right and left and at once left them all open to the party in ambush
who immediately were on their feet and began to throw spears; still such
was the forbearance of the officer that only one piece was fired over
their heads but this was found only to create a small panic, and our
party were obliged to teach them by fatal experience the effect of our
walking sticks.
"The first fire made them run and one received two balls between his
shoulders, still some of them made a stop to heave; the second fire they
all set off with astonishing speed and most likely one received a mortal
wound. Before another piece was fired Mr. Bowen laid hold of one of their
number and held on till three of our people came up and also grappled
him, strange to tell he made such violent struggles as to get away from
them all nor did the contents of the officer's piece bring him up
although one ball passed through his arm and the other in the side - he
was traced a good distance by his blood - the remaining pieces were by
this time fired and our party gave chase to them all.
"On board I kept a strict look-out with the glass and we lay only a
little more than a quarter of a mile off the point where they were seated
on. I plainly saw the natives running through the wood which was by no
means thick - one fellow in particular had been dressed in one of my white
shirts and the officer had tyed the wrists of it with string, which
hindered his getting it off - him we plainly saw from the vessel pass the
roots of black trees with such speed as more to resemble a large white
bird flying than a man. To increase their panic as they passed along I
gave them a discharge of our guns loaded with round and grape but am
almost certain that they did them no damage; by this time our people
returned from the chase, having found on the way back a number of spears,
dresses and baskets, etc. Made the boat signal and they came off.
"Thus did this treachery and unprovoked attack meet with its just
punishment and at the same time taught us a useful lesson to be more
cautious in future. With respect to the size of these natives they are
much the same as at Sydney, their understanding better though, for they
easily made out our signs when it answered their purposes or inclination.
When it did not they could be dull enough.
