A Part Of The Ship's Company Was Allowed On Shore For
No Indians Had Been Seen, But Towards Evening About 20 Were Seen With The
Sailors.
They had been met near Cape Keppel and at first menaced our
people, but finding them friendly laid aside their arms." Flinders.) They
then made signs to us to be gone.
They began running and were soon out of
sight. These natives are a much stouter class of people than any I have
yet seen (those of Jarvis Bay excepted). On returning to the beach Mr.
Evans, mate, and one of the seamen belonging to the Investigator were
missing. 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. "After the
mangrove the most common trees round Keppel Bay are the eucalyptus and a
species of Cycas bearing poisonous nuts. There are Kangaroos in the woods
and several bustards were seen near Cape Keppel. About the native
fireplaces were the shells of crabs, the bones of turtle and remains of
fern root." Flinders.)
"Wednesday, August 18th. At 1 P.M. hove up in the company with the
Investigator tacked occasionally. By 4 P.M. cleared the bay and at 5 P.M.
fell calm. Came to with kedge Cape
Capricorn bearing south-east by east 13 or 14 miles, Cape Keppel
south-south-east distant 5 or 6 miles and a large inhabited island, one
of Keppel's, north-north-west distant 6 or 7 miles. At daylight again in
company with Commodore made all sail. By noon passed abreast the
northernmost Keppel's Island.
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