264 AUSTRALIA CHAP, xi 



During this time, a few of the Indians who had not followed 

 the boat remained on the rocks opposite the ship, threaten- 

 ing and menacing with their pikes and swords : two in 

 particular, who were painted with white, their faces seem- 

 ingly only dusted over with it, their bodies painted with 

 broad strokes drawn over their breasts and backs, resembling 

 much a soldier's cross-belt, and their legs and thighs also 

 with broad strokes drawn round them, like broad garters or 

 bracelets. Each of these held in his hand a wooden weapon 

 about 2^ feet long, in shape much resembling a scimitar ; 

 the blades of these looked whitish, and some thought shining, 

 insomuch that they were almost of opinion that they were 

 made of some kind of metal ; but I thought they were 

 only wood smeared over with the white pigment with 

 which they paint their bodies. These two seemed to talk 

 earnestly together, at times brandishing their crooked 

 weapons at us, as in token of defiance. By noon we were 

 within the mouth of the inlet, 1 which appeared to be very 

 good. Under the south head of it were four small canoes, 

 each containing one man, who held in his hand a long 

 pole, with which he struck fish, venturing with his little 

 embarkation almost into the surf. These people seemed to 

 be totally engaged in what they were about : the ship passed 

 within a quarter of a mile of them, and yet they scarcely 

 lifted their eyes from their employment. I was almost 

 inclined to think that, attentive to their business and 

 deafened by the noise of the surf, they neither saw nor 

 heard her go past. 



We came to an anchor abreast of a small village con- 

 sisting of six or eight houses. Soon after this an old woman, 

 followed by three children, came out of the wood : she 

 carried several pieces of stick, and the children also had 

 their little burthens. When she came to the houses, three 

 younger children came out of one of them to meet her. She 

 often looked at the ship, but expressed neither surprise nor 

 concern : she then lighted a fire, and the four canoes came 



1 Botany Bay. It was Banks who, on his return to England, recommended 

 the Government to form a penal settlement at this spot. 



