CHAPTER VIII. 



KESCUE A WHITE WOMAN FEOM CAPTIVITY AMONG THE 

 NATIVES — HER HISTOET — BRAMBLE AND BOATS COMPLETE 

 THE STJEVET OF TOEEES STEAIT — WINI AND THE MUL- 

 GEAVE ISLANDEES— INTEECOUESE WITH THE CAPE TOEK 

 NATIVES— NEAELT QUAEEEL WITH THEM AT A NIGHT DANCE 

 — WITNESS A NATIVE FIGHT — DISCOVEE SOME FINE COUNTET 

 — INCIDENTS OF OUE STAY — MANY NEW BIEDS FOUND — EE- 

 MAEKS ON THE CLIMATE, ETC. OF CAPE YOEK. 



On the day after our arrival at Cape York the 

 vessel fi'om Sydney with our supplies anchored beside 

 US; and besides provisions and stores^ we had the 

 additional pleasure of receiving- five months' news 

 from home. 



On Oct. 16th; a startling- incident occurred to 

 break the monotony of our stay. In the afternoon 

 some of our people on shore were surprised to see a 

 young* white woman come up to claim their protec- 

 tion from a party of natives from whom she had 

 recently made her escape^ and who^ she thoug-ht^ 

 w^ould otherwise bring' her back. Of course she 

 received every attention^ and was taken on board 

 the ship by the first boat; when she told her story^ 

 wdiich is briefly as follows. Her name is Barbara 

 Thomson : she was born at Aberdeen in Scotland; 

 and along* with her parents; emigrated to New South 



