86 NORTHMOST AUSTRALIA 



spot, where sailors were engaged in washing and drying nets, and 

 set fire to the grass. As matters had gone far enough, a musket 

 loaded with small shot was discharged at one of the natives, " which 

 drew blood at 40 yards," says Cook, and the natives fled. Then a 

 ball was fired " across their bows," to convince them that they 

 were not yet beyond the reach of punishment, whereupon the 

 fugitives quickened their pace and were lost to sight. A few 

 minutes later, they emerged from a wood, headed by an old man, 

 made friendly advances, and were forgiven, and received presents, 

 among which, by way of object-lesson, were musket bullets, the 

 uses and effects of which were explained. If the trouble had 

 occurred a few days earlier, Cook remarked, all his powder, which 

 was then ashore, would have been lost. 



Four days later, a member of the crew incautiously walked into 

 a native camp, and found himself in the power of four " Indians," 

 who, however, permitted him to depart in peace after having 

 satisfied their curiosity regarding the texture of his clothing and 

 skin and refused the knife which he offered them. They even took 

 the trouble to set him right when he made for the ship in the wrong 

 direction. 



Such relations had been established before the " Endeavour " 

 left the harbour that the crew knew most of their aboriginal visitors 

 by name, and were able to distinguish strangers when these made 

 their appearance. The tribe consisted, as far as Cook saw, of twelve 

 men, seven women, one boy and one girl. He observed the native 

 method of fire-raising by friction. 



What " frightfulness " means in navigation can be fully appreci- 

 ated by any passenger on a mail steamer who has the run of the 

 chart-room on the bridge between Cooktown and Cape York. The 

 narrow passage between the land and the Barrier Reef, charted, 

 lighted, buoyed and beaconed though it now is, is crowded with 

 reefs ready to punish remorselessly any deviation from the right 

 path. That this path is negotiated daily in safety and comfort 

 is due to the skill and the ceaseless watch of the officers. What 

 must the passage have been when this was an unknown sea and the 

 frail sailing craft depended on the caprice of light winds ! 



Cook put out to sea on $tb August. The " Master " had 

 previously visited the " Three Islands " of the Low WOODY 

 GROUP. The " Endeavour " rounded CAPE BEDFORD and anchored 

 off LOOKOUT POINT, where COOK himself LANDED. The lookout 

 was very unsatisfactory, as the chance of getting away to the north 

 seemed doubtful, and so the boats were called upon to scout. The 

 Master landed on the TURTLE ISLANDS to the north. COOK himself 

 LANDED and passed a night on LIZARD ISLAND, and on his way back 

 to the ship landed on EAGLE ISLAND. 



The " Endeavour " left LOOKOUT POINT on i$th August and, 

 passing on the north side of EAGLE and LIZARD ISLANDS, found a 



