392 PORT ESSINGTON. 



than the dreary sameness of an Australian wood. 

 Numerous tracks of the buffalo seemed to testify to 

 the excellence of the pasture. Several evidences, 

 also, of the presence of natives were from time to 

 time discovered, and at length a small party met 

 them and exhibited a very friendly spirit. They 

 acted as guides to the explorers, shewing them 

 where water could be found, giving every informa- 

 tion in their power, and supplying them with crabs ; 

 but of course they did not fail to ask for bread, of 

 which as much as could be spared was given them. 

 On May 8th, they conducted Lieut. Stewart's 

 party back to Middle Head, and he expresses great 

 surprise at the precision with which they found 

 their way in the bush without having any apparent 

 means to guide them. I have before alluded to this 

 instinctive power of the aborigines of Australia. 



Lieut. Stewart gives as the general result of his 

 observations, extending over about seventy or 

 eighty miles, that there is abundance of fresh 

 water on the Peninsula ; that the South side is by 

 far the finest and best watered country ; that the 

 trees are there free from the white ant ; and that 

 in a large tract of country, the cabbage palm 

 abounds. He also observes, that as much of the 

 south-coast as he saw, has a coral reef extending 

 about a mile from the beach ; and that the rise and 

 fall of the tide is much greater than at Port 

 Essington. 



The natives were found by the settlers, as we 



