298 HISTORY OP* 



ken. When the returning tide met them, the 

 water had become fresh; the stream was two 

 hundred and thirty yards in breadth, and in 

 depth three fathoms. It was wedged in between 

 high grassy hills that descended to the river. 

 In their excursion a human voice reached 

 them from the hills; when they landed, carrying 

 one of several swans they had shot. Having 

 nearly reached the summit, two females sudden- 

 ly appeared some distance before them, each 

 snatched up a basket, and ran off. A man then 

 appeared, and suffered them to approach him 

 without any signs of fear. He accepted the 

 swan with joy and seemed to esteem it of value. 



He was unintelligible to them, even as they 

 were to him, they addressed him in several of 

 the dialects of New South Wales, and some few 

 of the most common words of the South Sea 

 Islands. With some difficulty they made him 

 understand they wished to see his habitation. 

 He pointed over the hills, and proceeded on- 

 wards; often stopping under pretence of having 

 lost the tract; which made them suspect his 

 aim was, to amuse and titffethem. Judging, 

 therefore, that in persisting to follow him they 

 must lose the remaining part of the flood tide, 

 they parted from him in great friendship. 



This man was short, slight, and of a mid- 

 dle age, with a countenance more expressive of 

 intelligence than of that ferocity or stupidity 

 which generally characterized the other natives ; 

 his features were less negro-like, than theirs; and 

 on the top of his head were plaisteres of red earth. 



