5S VOYAGE IN SEARCH 



jufl felled a tree. We fhewed him that it was 

 necciTary to ftrike in different places, in order 

 to form notches ; which he immediately exe- 

 cuted, and he was tranfported with joy when 

 he had brought the tree to the ground. They 

 were aftonifhed at the rapidity with which the 

 trunk of it was hewn through. We made them 

 a prefent of a few handfaws, which they em- 

 ployed with much facility, as foon as we had 

 Ihewn them their ufe. 



The manner in which we had {een them fifh, 

 made us rightly prefume they had no hooks ; 

 we gave them fome of ours, and taught them 

 how to ufe them, congratulating ourfelves on 

 having procured them the means of alleviating 

 one of the moft laborious tafks impofed on their 

 "women, 



Thefe favages were very much furprifed to 

 fee us light the fpungy bark of the eucalyptus 

 refinifera by the focus of a lens. The one who 

 appeared the moft intelligent, endeavouring 

 to find out, of his own accord, the eifecl of 

 this lens, directed againft his thigh the con- 

 centrated rays of the fun; but the pain which 

 he felt took away his inclination for repeating 

 -this experiment. 



We fhewed one of thefe natives our two 

 fnips, by means of a good glafs ; and he foon 

 accepted our invitations, and embarked in a 



boat 



