They Evidently Appear
To Shun Us, And We Have No Wish For A Farther Acquaintance.
When we
stopped for the night, the lake was only separated from the sea by
a narrow neck of sand, and at spring tides, with an easterly wind,
it must be forced over it.
This neck of sand appears likely to be
occasionally washed away, and to form a shallow opening into this
portion of the lake. Its principal entrance I expect to find southerly;
we however observed no tides in it, which makes us conclude it will
have but a shoal entrance. From this point, the Sugarloaf Point,
and island of it in one, bore N. 14 1/2, and the direction of the
lake was N. 275.
October 30. - We passed for five miles and a half through the country
described yesterday, when we arrived on the beach south-west of the
Sugarloaf Point. The rock off ditto bearing N. 88. E.; Shoal of ditto,
120., and Blackhead, N. 212 1/2; we went nearly six miles farther
on the beach, and halted near a rocky point for the evening. This
beach was a peculiarly productive one to us; a great number of fine
fish resembling salmon, had been pursued through the surf by larger
fish, and were left dry by the retiring tide: we picked up thirty-six,
and a welcome prize they proved to us. We had just got the tents
pitched, when a number of unarmed natives appeared upon the hill
near us, and among them a woman and a child. As they came in peace, so in
peace were they received. They approached the tents without any
hesitation, and in the course of an hour, their numbers amounted to
upwards of thirty, men, women, and children. Most of these people seemed
to have been at Newcastle, and appeared a friendly and peaceable set. We
did all in our power to continue these good dispositions by shaving the
men, cutting the hair of the children, and bestowing on them such little
articles as we could spare; not without a hope, that our kindness might
be of service to others, who might under different circumstances be
thrown among them. They were so far from showing the least jealousy of
their women, that every circumstance indicated that their favours might
be purchased: however that may be, we did not avail ourselves of this
privilege. Kindling their fires close to our tents, they seemed to have
taken up their quarters for the night. The weather had appeared to
threaten rain, and as they all departed about ten o'clock, it was
attributed to the circumstance of their being without shelter; and we
expected a friendly visit from them in the morning. From this station,
Blackhead bore N. 197.; and the island off Sugarloaf Point, N. 70. E.
The peak over the north entrance into Port Stephens, N. 211.
October 31. - The rain of the night still continuing in the morning,
and the tide not being sufficiently low to let us pass round the head,
we did not set off so early as usual.
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