CONDUCT OF THE NATIVES. 99 



the beach while we were hauling the seine ; and 

 tempted by the offer of some fish — for an Australian 

 savage is easily won by him who comes with " things 

 that do show so fair," as delicacies in the gastronomic 

 department — they approached us, and were very 

 friendly in their manner, though they cunningly 

 contrived always to keep the upper or inland side of 

 the beach. We made them some presents of beads, 

 &c. from the stores supplied by the Admiralty for 

 that purpose, but they received them with an in- 

 difference almost amounting to apathy. They very 

 closely examined the heroic Miago, who submitted 

 to be handled by these much- dreaded "Northern 

 men" with a very rueful countenance, and after- 

 wards construed the way in which one of them had 

 gently stroked his beard, into an attempt to take 

 him by the throat and strangle him ! — an injury and 

 indignity which, when safe on board, he resented 

 by repeated threats, uttered in a sort of wild chaunt, 

 of spearing their thighs, backs, loins, and, indeed, 

 each individual portion of the frame. 



Their habit of keeping the eyes almost closed, and 

 the head thrown back, in order to avoid the plague 

 of flies, under which this country seems to suffer, 

 adds to the unpleasant expression of their counte- 

 nance, and quite justifies the correctness of Dam- 

 pier's account : — " Their eyelids are always half 

 closed, to keep the flies out of their eyes, they 

 being so troublesome here, that no fanning will keep 

 them from coming to one's face ; and without the 



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