166 FIRST DISCOVERY OF PORT DAVEY, ETC. 



Hearvy Swell from the Westward we had to pull" Nearly 

 the Whole of the Day in the Evening Hauld up in a Small 

 Nook about 9 Miles to the Southard of Cape Grim"' — 



on the* Morning of the 4th Launched and Stood to the 

 Northward with a Light Breze at South East — about Noon 

 Rounded Cape Grim" we passed Between two Pinnical 

 Rocks that Lies Near the Cape we Were Nearly filled in 

 a tide Rip Going through but Luckily Escaped We pulled 

 along Shore to the Eastward untill we Came to the South 

 End of the Largest Hunters Island we Landed on a point 

 oposite on the Main Land on a Large flat of Pebble Stones 

 to Boil our Kittle" and take a Rest there was a. Great 

 many fires along the Shore we Kept the Boat afloat and 

 the arms" Ready in Case of an attack by the Natives 

 Tooms" and Jones" were Left to take Care of the Boat and 

 Have the anus" in Readiness" we had Just got a fire 

 Lighted When we Saw a Large Bodv of Natives at Least 

 fifty in Number Standing at the Edge of the Bush about 

 fifty yards from us they Were all armed with Spears" and 

 Waddies We Immediately Brought the arms" from the 

 Boat and put ourselves" in a State of Defence," Near the 

 fire they Began to advance Slowly towards us' We held up 

 our Pieces" and made Signs to them not to Come any 

 Closeer" they Held up thair Spears" in Return with Loud- 

 Laugfmig and Jeering" at us as if they thought Ave Were 

 afraid of them at Seeing them so formidable"' We thought 

 it best to Retreat to the Boat, When all of a Sudden they 

 Laid Down thair Spears and Waddies in the Edge of the 

 Bush and holding up Both thair Hands as if they did not 

 mean any Mischief, at the Same time Making Signs to us 

 to Lay Down our arms" Which we did To Satisfy them 

 for if we had Retreated to the Boat quickly they Must 

 Have Killed Every one. Before we Could Have got out of 

 the Reach of thair Spears x — they then Began to Come to 

 us one by one Holding up Both thair Hands to Show 

 they had no Weapon" But we Kept a good Lookout that 

 they had no Spears betwen thair toes as they had on a 

 former occasion" but they bad none" — there was 20) Twenty 

 two Came to the fire (we Made Signs to them that no more 

 Should Come") upon that being Understood two More 

 Came from the Bush together one of them Seemed to be a 

 Chief a Stout good Looking Man about Six feet High 30 

 years of age, the other an old Man about Six feet Seven 

 Inches High with Scarcely'' a Bit of flesh" on his Bones. 

 When the Chief Came he ordered them all to sit Down 

 on the Ground Which they did and formed a Sort of Cir- 

 cle" Round the fire, the Chief ordered the old Man to 

 Dance and Sing, as if to amuse us Which he did. Making 



