140 HISTORY OF 



sured the officers, that Gome-boak was a canni- 

 bal, well knowing that alone would disgust 

 them with him. 



On the 1st of March; the Francis returned 

 from Port Stephens. Mr. Grimes reported that 

 lie went into two fresh-water branches, up which 

 he rowed, and at no very great distance from 

 the entrance, he found them terminate in a 

 swamp. He described the land on each side as 

 low and sandy, and had seen nothing while in 

 this harbour, which in his opinion could render 

 a second visit necessary. The natives were so 

 unfriendly, that he made but few observations 

 on them. He thought them both a taller and a 

 stouter race of people than those about this set- 

 tlement, and their language was entirely dif- 

 ferent., Their huts and canoes were something 

 larger than those which we had seen here ; but 

 their weapons the same. They welcomed him 

 on shore with a dance, joining hand in hand, 

 round a tree, probably to express their unanir 

 mity; one of them after this, dra\ying Mr. 

 Grimes into the wood, poised a spear, and w T as 

 op the point of throwing it, when he was pre- 

 vented by young Wilson, who Mr. Grimes 

 took with him : he had followed Mr. Grimes with 

 a double-barrelled gun, and now levelling at 

 the native, he fired it. He was supposed to be 

 wounded, for he fell; but rising again, he at* 

 tempted a second time to throw the spear, 

 and was again prevented by Wilson. The effect 

 of this second shot was supposed to be conclu- 

 sive, as he was not seen to rise any more. Mr* 



