310 INTERCOURSE WITH CAPE YORK NATIVES. 



Evans Bay. The natives^ of whom there were 

 usually a number encamped in the neighbour- 

 hood^ attracted by the presence of the ship^ as vul- 

 tures by a carcass^ continued on perfectly fiiendly 

 terms^ assisted the wooding- and watering' parties^ 

 broug-ht off fish and portions of turtle to the ship^ 

 tind accompanied us on our walks on shore. The 

 usual remuneration for their services was biscuit^ 

 and^ next to that^ tobacco^ besides which axes and 

 knives w^ere hig-hly prized and occasionally g'iven 

 them. Immediately on landing* for the purpose of 

 an excursion^ each of us looked out for his kotaiga* 

 from among- a crowd of applicants surrounding- the 

 boat^ the haversack was thrown across his shoulders^ 

 and away we started for the bush. It was often 

 difficult for the possessor of a g-ood stock of biscuit to 

 shake off other useless volunteers 3 these hang'ers-on^ 

 with few exceptions^ were more remarkable for their 

 capacity for food than for their powers of endurance^ 

 shewing- a deeply rooted antipathy to any exertion 

 not actually necessary^ and for every trifling- addi- 

 tional service asking- for his'iker muro^ cJioka muro, 

 neipa^ or some such thing-. Still a few of these 

 same blacks make a very agreeable addition to a 

 shooting- party ^ as besides their services as g-uides^ 

 and in pohiting- out g-ame^ they formed amusing- 

 companions and enlivened many a noonday bivouac 



* Derived from the Kowrarega word Kutaig (younger brother); 

 here m the jargon used between us it signified friend, associate, 

 companion, &c. 



