

4*' 



NEW SOUTH WALES. 4fi5 



the way, crying out " Wabba ! wabba!" which 

 they supposed to be water in their language. 



"After the gentlemen had examined the water, 

 they made signs of being desirous to ascend the 

 hill ; the natives readily conceived their mean- 

 ing, offered to conduct them, and appeared 

 to be very happy in the strangers' company. 



"They had proceeded about three quarters of 

 a mile up the hill, when fliey were conducted to 

 a level spot of cleared ground, where grass was 

 growing, and several young plantain trees 

 springing up in the midst of it, and the number 

 of birds chirruping among the bushes that sur- 

 rounded this spot made it appear romantic. 



" Here they were invited to sit down, to which 

 Messrs. Carter, and Shaw consented ; but on 

 Mr. Haskett's saying " he suspected they had 

 some designs on them," Mr. Carter replied, that 

 he believed them to be a set of innocent crea- 

 tures, and made signs for something to drink. 



" A boy was immediately dispatched, and 

 shortly after returned with two cocoa nuts, 

 which were given them to drink. After Mr. 

 Carter had drank he got up and gave his mus- 

 ket to Mr. Haskett to hold, while he took a 

 sketch of the landscape as it then appeared to 

 his view. 



" The natives seeing the two muskets in Mr. 

 Haskett's hands, desired to hold them for him ; 

 he gave Mr. Carter's to one of them, but kept his 

 own cocked, the muzzle directed towards the 

 breast of him who held it. 



