VGA; HISTORY OF 



The natives in person were similar to those 

 about Port Jackson, but their language was 

 unintelligible. They used canoes, and seemed 

 to well know the value of them ; for on rowing 

 round the point of Snug Cove, when Mr. Bass 

 was on a former visit, a party of them paddled 

 on shore, took their canoes upon their heads, 

 and ran off with them to the woods. How- 

 ever, they did not now appear quite so shy as 

 formerly ; and there was every reason to imagine 

 that a friendly intercourse might have been 

 established. 



As the very few spears seen here were made 

 of solid wood, Messrs. Bass and Flinders con- 

 jectured, that the grass reed spear used by the 

 natives of Port Jackson was not known among 

 these people. 



£ew marks of the kangaroo were seen, and 

 both quadrupeds and birds appeared to be far 

 less numerous here than in most other places. 

 The dogs accompanying the voyagers found a 

 porcupine ant-eater, which they could make no 

 impression on ; he escaped by burrowing in the 

 loose sand, sinking himself directly downwards, 

 and not head foremost, thus presenting his 

 prickly back, opposed his adversaries to the last. 



A tew clucks, teal, herons, cranes, and red- 

 bills were seen on the lagoons, and some flights 

 of curlews and plovers. 



The rocks consist of hard clay, mixed with 

 great numbers of small stones, variously coloured, 

 some with red, others with yellow. Some cal- 

 carious fpar lay scattered on the surface of the 





